Thea ran as fast as she could, slipping and sliding over the poorly made roofs in the slums of Gotham City. She was a shape shifter, and at the moment was a small white cat with stunning green eyes. Six men from Joker's squad were chasing her, wanting her to play with them. But their idea of playing was much different than hers. She leaped over an alley opening and did several sliding doughnuts and suddenly slammed into something. She let out a pained mew as she felt a paw twist out of place and tried to come to her feet. The thing that she slammed into moved and she froze. She looked up at the man dressed as a bat and she nearly cried in joy. He would help her. She scrambled to her feet and tried to crawl between his legs for protection, but slipped and fell down again, letting out another pained mew. Batman slowly bent down and gently picked her up in his massive hands. She tried to crawl closer to him and he let out an annoyed growl. Thea could hear the Joker's goons coming closer and she stiffened in fear as she turned to see them leaping onto the same roof. Thea clung to Batman like her life depended on it, actually it did depend on it.

"Give us the cat," the leader of the goons snarled, holding out a hand for Batman to place her in.

Thea looked up at Batman in fear and looked at him pleadingly.

"Why does Joker's goons want a harmless cat?" Batman asked, his deep voice rumbling like thunder and sending shivers down her spine.

"Just give us the cat," the leader snarled, taking a step closer.

Batman sighed and looked down at Thea. She curled up against his stomach and was trembling in fear. He suddenly tossed her high into the air and then attacked the goons. By the time he was done, he gently caught her in his hands and smoothed out her ruffled fur. She was still frightened and clung to his hand as tightly as she could.

"Why were they chasing you, little cat?" he asked, raising her to eye level.

Thea just mewed and reached for his shoulders. He brought her closer and she climbed up onto his left shoulder and curled around the back of his neck and sighed in relief.

"You're a strange cat. But I like you. Maybe Alfred will let me keep you," he said, a smirk coming to his full but stern lips.

Thea started to purr and rubbed her side on the back of his head. He chuckled and reached up to scratch her ears affectionately. She mewed softly and rubbed her cheeks against his fingers and he gently pulled her from his shoulders. He tucked her into the crook of his elbow and then scratched the top of her head.

"I have a feeling that Alfred would like you. Let's go home, and get that paw looked at," he said, reaching up to his mask to press a communicator.

He talked to Alfred and then tightened his grip on her just before he leapt off the building and glided down to a black sedan and slid inside before anyone could see him. He kept her hidden beneath his cape and pulled back his cowl to reveal a ruggedly handsome face that made her want to change into a human right then and there. He placed his hand on top of her back and rubbed the space behind her ears and she stared to purr loudly.

"Master Wayne, what is making that sound?" asked the older gentleman that was driving the car.

"I found a cat and she has a hurt paw. I liked her and thought you would as well. She's a cuddly little thing. A beauty too," Bruce Wayne said, gently handing her up into the passenger seat so Alfred could see.

"She is quite beautiful, but a bit filthy. The poor thing looks like its had a rough night,"Alfred said, reaching one hand over to rub her ears.

Thea was really enjoying all the attention she was getting and started to purr even louder than before. Bruce chuckled and held out a hand for her to climb up onto so that he could pet her some more. She climbed onto his arm and then to his shoulder, curling around his neck.

"She must really like you, Master Wayne," Alfred said, a small smile on his thin lips.

"Well, I did save her from some of the Joker's henchmen. But I still don't know why they wanted her to begin with," said Bruce stroking her fur absent mindedly.

"Perhaps she is not just your average cat?" Alfred suggested, glancing over his shoulder to give Bruce a questioning look.

Thea mewed and rubbed her head against Bruce's cheek, sliding down his front to curl up on his lap. Bruce chuckled and shifted in his seat, making Thea start to purr in content. He laid his head back, closing his eyes, but one of his gloved hands gently stroked her fur. Thea was actually liking this man. Maybe she could trust him with her little secret.

Thea was woken when Bruce lurched awake. She was shoved off his lap and mewed in pain when her hurt paw hit the ground before she could land on her other feet.

"I'm sorry, kitty. I didn't mean to hurt you. Come here," Bruce said quietly, reaching down to pick her up.

Thea was hesitant, but allowed him to pick her up and cradle her to his chest. She started purring when he scratched her chin and throat.

"I hope you don't have nightmares because of me, kitty," he sighed, glancing out the window.

Thea purred loudly and rubbed her feline body against him relishing the feel of his hard muscled body. She crawled up onto his shoulders when he bent to get out of the car once it came to a stop in front of Wayne Manor. She just laid across his shoulders as he entered the house and then up the elegant staircase to his private chamber. He gently pulled her from his shoulders and placed her on his massive bed and started to pull off his Batman suit. She watched from her perch on the bed as he stripped to his tight black boxers that gave his tight toned butt no justice. She purred even louder and leapt down from the bed and followed him into the bathroom. He turned on the tub and waited for it to fill with hot water. Once it was full, and filled with masculine scented bubbles, Bruce slid his boxers off and slipped into the tub with a deep throated groan of pleasure. Thea watched as he just sat there, relaxing in the soothing heat, but she felt dirty and wanted to get clean as well. Seeing no other way, Thea jumped up onto the edge of the tub, but had no traction and slid right into the hot water and bubbles. Bruce lurched upright and grabbed her before she sank too low and held up her now dripping wet and bubble covered form. He must have thought the sight was humorous for he burst out laughing and tried to wipe away the bubbles from her feline face.

"If you wanted a bath, all you had to do was ask," he said through his laughter.

Thea just gave him an annoyed stare and let a tiny feline growl bubble up from her throat. He quieted and just stared deep into Thea's emerald green eyes.

"Why were they after a cat like you?" he asked, his gaze narrowing on her feline face.

"You aren't like other cats. You're different, but how different I cannot tell. I wish I knew what was going on," he growled, rinsing out her white fur.

Thea just kept purring, acting like a cat, and once they were both clean, he grabbed a towel and dried her off to his best abilities. He set her down on the tiled floor and then pulled the plug in the tub and climbed out, his butt and waist hidden by a massive amount of bubbles. Thea just sighed and started to lick herself dry, ignoring Bruce as he milled about the bathroom. Once she was also dry and clean, Thea limped over to Bruce and watched as he shaved his very handsome face. She mewed and he looked down at her. She rubbed herself on the hard muscles of his calves. He chuckled and finished his shaving, dressing in a pair of baggy, black pajama pants. He picked her up and scratched her ears affectionately. She pureed and relaxed in his arms.

"Let's get that paw looked at, shall we?" he said, heading for the bed.

He sat down and held Thea in his lap as he carefully looked her paw over. He frowned and looked around that room, clearly searching for something. Thea mewed in discomfort and tried to pull her paw out of his grip, but he shushed her and grabbed his cell phone.

"Alfred, I need you to bring up two popsicle sticks and the smaller roll of gauze, please," Bruce said, holding the phone with one hand while trying to keep Thea still with the other.

Thea knew what was going to happen. He was going to splint her paw and she hated splints. She wouldn't be able to walk or play if she had a splint on. But Bruce's grip on her feline form was unrelenting.

"It's going to be alright, kitty. I'm just trying to help you," Bruce said reassuringly.

Thea knew that he was trying to help, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to like it.