Her Plan

The first thing he felt when he woke was the gentle blush of her soft skin across his scarred and damaged knuckles. He hated how perfectly that summed up their differences. His darkness to her light.

He was scarred and damaged. Broken and bruised. Inside and out. She was perfection. Beautiful and bright as the sun. She was the only good thing in his life.

Opening his eyes he blinked a few times before focusing on her face. The gentle smile and worried tilt to her eyes left him feeling guilty. Sitting up he realized there was no pain.

"You healed me." It wasn't a question and as he said the words the familiar anger washed over him. "Chloe you promised you wouldn't do it again. It's too much of a risk."

"I promised no such thing. You forget that not everyone cowers at your tall dark and scarieness." She leaned down and gave him a quick kiss on his forehead. She smiled softly at him before turning away. Sadness and fear written all over her face. "I wont loose you."

He hated that he put her in this place. That he was the reason she had to risk her safety. Risk her life. That he was the on who caused her sadness and worry.

"It's a two way street." He waited until she turned back to him. "It's dangerous."

"I watch you go out every night and risk your life Bruce. I support you. I understand. I truly do but having to watch you take hit after hit. Watching them tear you apart in the news. Watching them make jokes when they should be saying thank you." She wiped a tear away. Annoyed that she couldn't control herself. "It kills me."

"I don't want to hurt you."

She laughed, a sad sound. "Of course you don't you big dummy." She moved forward and slipped into the bed next to him. Curling her body around his. Resting her head on his shoulder. "That's why I love you."

He wrapped his arms around her. Holding her tight. Their life was so far from normal. Constantly surrounded by lunatic bad guys and men wearing tights and masks. Their phone calls usually were about clandestine meetings and criminal suspects, never mundane things like picking up a gallon of milk or did you remember to take out the trash.

She had bowled him over. Marched into his life demanding his help with her crusade and somehow he had gone from doing everything in his power to convince her to leave to making sure she never left.

He could laugh at that. It wasn't like he was the one that finally smartened up. He had needed to be practically beat over the head before he had realized just how much he needed her. When he had finally admitted it Alfred had actually did an I told you so dance.

"It was bad this time. You were so weak, so pale."

"But I'm fine now." He hugged her tight. Placing chaste kisses against her hair. "And so are you."

She pulled back and looked at him. "I will never put my life before yours. Never. Do not ask me to do something you couldn't do yourself."

He nodded. The anger at her risk melting away. She always had a way of making him see things. Making him understand her. Making him love her more when all he wanted to do was be angry. "You never fight fair."

She smiled warmly at him, the twinkle in her eye returning. "That's why I always win. Now stop lying there and get dressed. We have a charity ball to attend." She sat up and jumped from the bed. "And you are going to spend the night dancing with me. I mean Tangos and Salsas and any other silly step I want to do."

"Why would you think I would do that?" The smirk that titled his lips took her breath away.

"Wipe that look off your face." He sat up and swung his legs off the bed. The sheet falling away to reveal his utter lack of clothing. She backed up as if he were dangerous. "I'm serious. We can't be late. Again." At the last word she found herself pressed up against the wall.

"You don't look ready." He stood in front of her naked with a swagger and confidence that left her feeling weak in the knees. "Which means you need to get undressed." He reached his hands up and tugged at her shirt. Pulling it over her head. "Thank goodness I am here to help."

Forgotten was the near miss. The fear of loosing him. There was nothing left but the way he looked at her. The way he made her feel. She had always thought romance novels gave women unrealistic expectations. That over time lighting like chemistry would fade to static electricity. She would have been happy with that. Just to have someone to come home to. To have someone to call her own.

But she had gotten so much more. More than she could have ever hoped for. He was a dream, perfect in every way. Not the foolish dream she had hoped for as a child but a better one. One that allowed her to be who she was. That supported her and stood by her side. A man who considered her an equal. Her match in every way that counted.

Pulled back to the present she gasped as his mouth left a warm, wet trail down the column of her neck. Her skin sizzled at the contact. She was reached up and ran her hands through his dark hair. Holding him close as he slipped own her body and slipped off her pants.

She opened her eyes when he lifted her off her feet and carried her to the bed. "I guess it isn't the end of the world if we are late again." He laughed dark and sexy before placing her down on the bed.

"I love it when you come around to my way of thinking." He smiled as she reached up and pulled him down into the bed.

"How do you know this wasn't my plan all along?" For a brief moment she saw surprise flit across his face before the confidant smirk was back. Laughing darkly he covered her body with his. He wouldn't put it past her. She was by far the smartest woman he had ever met and while he wouldn't ever call her devious she certainly had proven how sneaky she could be.

It didn't really matter. Her plan, his plan. At the end of the day this was where he wanted to be and he was man enough to admit it didn't matter. Not out loud. He certainly wasn't going to tell her she was right. He had his pride and she already won way too many arguments.

I love A Chloe Bruce OS.

Reviews please.