Well, here it is, the sequel to Twelve Days of Riddler! It is shorter than the first part of my series, but...well...twelve, seven, you know?

Anyways, I wanted to give a shout out to all reviews the first story recieved after it was finished. That means I give deep respect and love to the following reviewers: TanithSeh1011 (bows reverently), Jen Rock (Yes, I have read Kingdom Come, if it hadn't of been for your recommendation I never would have [I tend to shy away from future storylines, they're so dreary]), Esmeralda Smith (And I couldn't have asked for a kinder review!). And a shout out to my faithful reviewers from the last story: thirteen_riot, ninjapoke, Robot521 and the much beloved Violeta27, I hope you all came back for round two!

To avoid confusion, I'll just point out that a majority of this story follows Eddie, unless otherwise indicated in the past flashbacks where it's from Selina's POV. If that seems a tad confusing, well...whatcha gonna do? Come all the way to where I live and bitch about it? You could, but then that'd be, that'd be, like, way crazy. I mean I don't come to where you work and perform open heart surgery. Because it's unsanitary to do that at a...you know what? I killed the joke. Let's just do this.

The Week of the Cat

Friday, 1998

**Catwoman**

She was perched on the top of Gotham Brewery, one of her favourite haunts, chomping on an apple, watching the rooftops of Gotham for anything interesting.

From down below someone whistled shrilly up at her, catching her attention.

She glanced down to find an arm sticking around the corner of the building, holding out a glass of milk, shaking it slightly in an effort to tempt her.

Curious, but also wary, she tossed the apple to the birds and made her way to the ground. Carefully she rounded the corner, only to find the arm and the milk disappearing around another corner behind a shed. She continued to follow it.

As she stepped into the alley behind the shed, she found a whole crate of milk cartons waiting for her, the glass on top, resting against the crate was a crudely made sign that said 'Free Milk'.

"How stupid do you think I am?" She asked whoever was playing with her.

"On any given day…?"

Eyeing the Riddler as he emerged from the shadows nearby, she pursed her lips. "What's with the milk, Ed?"

"Edward. And I just knocked over a dairy farm."

"Why?"

"My reasons are my own." He replied casually, encircling her. "I just thought I'd share the proceeds of that venture with someone who'd really appreciate them."

"What do you need?"

"How about we discuss business over a nice cold glass of milk?"

"I'd rather not drink or eat anything you give me, if that's alright." She replied.

"Where's the trust, my dear?"

She quirked a brow, but said nothing.

"A little bird told me you know a way to get past the security at the airport."

Selina scoffed. "You're the genius, Ed. Figure it out yourself."

"Edward. And I am a genius, my dear, but you're the one who's the expert at getting into places undetected."

"What's the death toll going to be?"

He shook his head once. "No death toll, just a mark."

"Bright green question mark?"

"Precisely, a proverbial 'X' to mark the spot."

Touching a hand to her chin, she pondered this. "For a job like this…I'll say twenty-five."

The Riddler pulled a slight face. "You realize that means I'll have to make a bank withdrawal."

"Better get on it." She replied.

He sighed heavily. "Not even for all the milk at the Hudson's Dairy Farm?"

"Not even for all the tuna at the cannery."

Pointing a finger at her and wagging it, Edward smiled. "You drive a hard bargain, Miss Kyle." With a roguish look, he touched a finger to his lips. "I didn't want to join the ranks of insanity by robbing the same bank twice, but…oh, who the hell am I kidding? This will make it a trifecta."

She had long tuned him out, heading towards the milk where she stood over the crate, hand on her hip, eyeing it.

"I swear it's not poisoned. I wouldn't kill off my favourite pussycat for a cheap laugh." He stated, sidling up beside her. Bending down he scooped up a jug and popped it open, taking a sip as proof it was safe, before handing it over to her.

Sniffing it, before taking a sip, she smirked. "I'll make you a deal, Eddie."

"Edward," he corrected.

"You rob the cannery and put a hell of a lot of fish in the alleys for my starving kitties and I'll do the job." She glanced at him. "Wouldn't want to force you into a three-peat."

"I'll tell you what I'll do, because I like you, Selina. I'll strap about twenty-five pounds of C-4 explosives to the cannery and blow it sky high, then the pieces can rain down on Gotham."

At her quirked brow, he beamed and thrust his arms out.

"It's more efficient!"

"You'll use any excuse you can to blow something up, won't you?" She inquired.

"You don't understand, Lina. Gotham will be covered in bits of tuna."

"And?"

"And that's that punchline."

"...to a joke only you get, apparently."

"No, to the riddle. What makes Gotham stink?"

Shaking her head, she sighed. "You are a sad, strange man, Eddie."

Friday, Now

"Cat's, cat's everywhere and not a stick in sight," he sighed, nudging a grey tabby away with his impeccably shined oxford. Loosening his tie with one hand, Edward Nygma tossed a pile of bills onto his workbench, startling away a fluffy white cat that had made a nest of his wires.

"Really, Eddie," Catwoman purred, rescuing her fluffy cat like a mother protecting her young. "You're too careless."

"Care less," he stated, studying his purple kid gloves. She had been coming around more often than not as of late, but he still tried to act casual about the experience. "Yes, that sounds about right." Looking up at her with a hard glare, he went on preening. "May I inquire as to why you're intruding upon the solitude of my cozy abode?"

"You may." She replied, nuzzling her kitty before releasing it to it's own devious devices. "I was investigating this and that when I came across your window and thought a nap would be in order. I figured you wouldn't mind."

Edward paused, a horrified look painting his face. "You…just decided to sleep in my bed?"

"Don't act disgusted, Ed." She purred, moving in close to him and inhaling slowly, before trailing her hands across his chest on her way past. "We've done far worse in it…"

Shaking his head as though shaking off the topic (which he would most definitely address later), Edward returned to the point of her visit. "To what do I owe this unexpected pleasantry, my dear?"

She quirked a brow. "Can't I just drop by? Or am I not welcome?"

The Riddler scowled deeply, quirking a brow. "You need something."

"Yes, a nap. I got that."

Pushing his green bowler up high on his forehead, he sighed. "No, you're up to something fiendish."

"Oh, come on, Eddie." She sighed, rolling her eyes a little and stalking off towards his kitchen to idly go through his cupboards. "Doesn't every man dream of coming home to a pussy who'll curl up in his lap?"

"Stereotypically men are more inclined towards canines," he replied pocketing his hands and following her into the kitchen.

"That's because cats have been marketed improperly." She said casually, pulling out a tin of tuna. Turning around, she must have noticed his unimpressed look, because she sighed heavily and cocked her hip, a strong but slender hand resting on it. "Look, I'm having a bit of a bad fucking week, Ed, could you at least cut me a little slack?"

"You're having a bad week?" He inquired. "I ran into Killer Croc on a rampage three days ago and he tossed me into the bay. Do you know how many tests they have to run on me just to make sure I'm not breeding the newest form of plague? In addition it was cold and I bruised my ass on the ice before it cracked and I went under. Plus the embarrassment of having Batman save me in front of the Croc was not my finest hour."

"Your ass?" She asked, before laughing softly at him. "Sounds like you're doing far more than private dicking around." She said, a small smile curling the corners of her mouth.

Running a hand through his hair, he sighed. "You said something about your problems?"

"I didn't say I came to share, Eddie." She teased. "I just came for a nap."

"I'm so glad you're well rested."

Glancing over her shoulder at him, Selina smiled. It pleased Edward that she didn't hide it from him anymore, like a small, but poignant victory had been claimed by him.

Pocketing his hands, he asked. "How's Maggie?"

Turning from her task, Catwoman eyed his close proximity for a moment before handing him a tuna sandwich. "She's good. She's living in Little Gotham now, has a job in the city. Why are you hovering, Ed?"

"I'm sorry, Selina. Sometimes I'm not quite sure how to act around you anymore."

"Why? Because we fucked?"

"No, because we keep on fornicating at random intervals."

She turned again with a heavy sigh. "Jesus, Eddie, you even talk about sex like a nerd." Eyeing him, she pulled a jar of mayo out of the fridge and set it on his counter. "So, you get nervous just because we don't have sex like clockwork? Your OCD is understandable, but utterly fucking insane."

He smirked. "You knew what I was when you decided to get involved with me."

Selina smeared mayo on a piece of bread, ignoring the fact that he was still hovering. "Unfortunately it couldn't prevent anything. I guess knowledge isn't really power."

Edward chuckled. "You know, Lina, it wouldn't hurt your pride to just admit you want to be near me."

Picking up the sandwich she made for herself, she bit into it and rolled her eyes.

Sniffing his offering tentatively before biting into it, he chewed for a moment, while she picked out a chunk of tuna and gave it to the nearest cat.

"What's wrong, Eddie? I thought you'd like this movie."

They were settled in his apartment later that night watching whatever was on TV, Selina, her feet in his lap, was stretched across the couch, Eddie at the other end, eyes on the screen.

"Why? Because it's poses a question in the title? It's hardly a Sam Spade mystery. I know what's eating Gilbert Grape, because he's poor, he lives in a Podunk town, his brother is mentally handicapped and his mother is pushing a ton. Case solved, send my payment in the mail." He stated, bare hands rubbing her feet idly. "And I can't be certain without a lengthy stakeout, but I'm sure his mortician friend is creeping on his sixteen year old sister."

Selina had stopped listening, her eyes on the bat signal in the clouds just outside the window.

Eddie followed her gaze.

"Oh God," she growled, eyeing the beacon. "Have we become boring old Gothamites who sit around watching the zombie box while outside the world around us lives and thrives?"

He studied her calmly. "Well…yes, but at least you're not wearing sweat pants yet."

"Shoot me when that day comes." She replied.

As they fell silent again as Gilbert was nearing the end of his tale, Selina wriggled her foot between Eddie's suspender and his chest, snapping it playfully. He knew she did it to annoy him. It was just one of the many tricks she had picked up when looking for a fight from him.

He gripped her foot in his cold hands and slid one up to touch the back of her knee, invading her warmth.

She gasped and kicked at him.

Capturing her feet, Eddie pushed them down and crawled over her, moving his cold hands to all her warmest places, chilling her.

"Jesus, Eddie, your hands are like ice!"

He smirked down at her, nose a hair's width from hers. "Yes," he drawled in his Mr. Freeze voice, "exactly like ice."

"Don't let Fries catch you mocking him, he'll turn you into an elfsicle." She teased.

"Call me an 'elf' once more, kitten, and I'll go back to calling you 'baby doll'." He purred, hands slipping under her shirt, heading for the warm area under her breasts.

"Don't," she warned him.

He quirked a brow, hands still on their warpath.

"Eddie," she warned, when his hands touched the most sensitive area under her tits, she gasped and pushed him off her onto the floor.

Eddie landed with a thud and a grunt. His already bruised ass taking most of the impact.

Sitting up, she shucked her shirt and pounced, landing hard on him.

Again he grunted at her attack, before smirking. "Ah…kitten's bored, is she?"

"Safety word's 'turkey'," she growled.

Selina wore his pyjama top that night, leaving him in his question marked bottoms, lying awkwardly beside her in the bed. She filled his bedroom with such a sweet scent, one she never wore as Catwoman, but only when she came to him as Selina Kyle. It was such a feminine, soft perfume that it seemed to be her own natural bouquet.

"Eddie? If I ask you something, will you promise me you won't over analyze it?" She asked, before rolling onto her side, facing away from him.

Staring at the ceiling for a moment, Edward contemplated this, his hands behind his head. "I suppose."

"Will you hold me?"

Rolling his head, he studied her form in the darkness for a long, silent moment, before slowly moving across the bed to draw her into his arms. It amazed him, how strong she was, but how vulnerable she really was underneath it all. It reminded him that she was one of the most genuine humans he had ever come across. The reason why he was drawn to her. She wasn't a hollow, dead-inside Gothamite, but a creature both strong and delicate. Capable, but still merciful. He tightened his arms around her ever so.

Pushing away a lock of dark hair from the side of her neck, he leaned in to inhale her scent. "What's wrong, Selina?"

"I thought you were tired, Ed."

Smiling, he pressed a kiss to the spot he was worshipping. "I am. However, you know how I get when a puzzle is presented to me."

"Puzzle?" She echoed.

"Yes. Just why is Selina Kyle so downtrodden tonight? You never come around to watch television or do anything much more with me than sex and bickering."

"I think you know." She stated, rolling over onto her back.

Pushing up, he hovered over her. "I do, but I was hoping you'd tell me."

Reaching out she touched a finger to the scar she gave him. "It's Crane." She said softly. "I've been in love with him for years…I just don't know how to tell him without upsetting Harley."

"What?" Edward sat straight up in the bed. He figured she'd deflect, but wasn't really expecting that to come out of her mouth.

Selina laughed, genuinely laughed at him from where she still lay on the bed. "Go to sleep, Ed."

Flopping back onto the bed, he squirmed as far away from her as possible. "You're a sick, sick woman."

Chuckling, she followed him across the bed, crawling up onto his chest as she finally caught him at the edge.

They had both fallen into the misty moments before slumber, when Selina muttered, "there's mewling coming from your closet, Ed."

"There are at least a dozen cats that stay long after you've gone, Lina, and one of them decided to have a litter in my closet, so yes, there's mewling coming from my closet."