Disclaimer: The Batman film trilogy belongs to Christopher Nolan and WB studio while Kagome Higurashi character is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. I am not profiting in any way by writing this one-shot besides having immense amounts of fun while doing so.

Summary: I always found an idea of Bruce Wayne sequestering himself behind the thick walls likely considering his intensely brooding nature but what I could never buy was Alfred allowing him to continue for 8 years. Therefore unearthing a fiercely protective, no – nonsense female as a last ditch effort to fix the situation is a reasonable development. Indeed, Bruce was always drawn to impossibly stubborn females that were too smart too ignore and too fearless to know when to let go. A short, one – shot with our favorite Miko. Before the Dark Knight Rises. Please read and review.

Status: For now completed but might be revisited in the future.

Title: Sozo

Sozo (Ancient Greek) Salvation – Restoring spirit, soul and body. Includes healing of the entire man, spirit, soul and body (…)

Main meaning: "save, deliver, protect, heal, preserve, make whole."

Unscrewing the lid, she trapped it neatly between the glass and two fingers, the habitual transfer followed by a clang that cut the awkward and in her opinion unnecessary silence. If she was fifteen again, she would find the white knuckles and the defensive stare somewhat charming even if they were not accompanied by a set of fluffy dog ears that twitched seemingly without reason and begged to be petted. But she wasn't an air headed teenager anymore and the visage of a sulking man was more likely to cause her to snicker than to call upon her compassion.

Noting the skin tautly stretching on the sharp cheekbones, she was taken aback by the fire simmering in the depths of the bronze irises. He may heavily rely on the cane for support but he is not a weak person at all, Kagome amended her initial impression.

Slipping the palm in her back pocket, her hips cocked to the side, the move both uncouth and daring and in its daringness at the core defensive.

"Mr. Wayne, it would be infinitely appreciated if you could sit down and let me have a look at your knee as I'm contracted to do." she tried the overly polite tone, hoping to placate a wounded pride of a self – centered snob, if to believe the Gotham Gazette gossip columns. A notion she promised herself to carefully avoid as it was build upon such unreliable source but proved more probable with each passing second.

"Not by me." he growled, flash escaping the narrowed slits.

Rolling her eyes, she longingly looked above his shoulder in the direction of doors behind which an impeccably polite gentleman disappeared in a quest to fetch tea. Or to avoid argument. The jury was out on that one.

"Couldn't we stay here for a while and pretend that you have done… everything you were supposed to do after which we will part and never see each other again?" Bruce proposed in a suave and a bit rakish voice that must have been a reason for many women fall that did absolutely nothing except putting her in a very cross mood. He didn't… He just asked her to lie! Bristling like a porcupine she straightened her spine.

"I was paid to deliver a certain service and I will do so." She enunciated in overly careful manner, hiding under the tightly controller tone the boiling offence.

"You will be paid" he assured, misunderstanding the reason behind the frigid refusal while simultaneously diminishing its importance by the flippant remark accompanied by a crooked smile. "Handsomely."

"No, thank you Mr. Wayne. I'm already being paid by Mr. Pennyworth." Her voice dripped with sweetness while she took what little satisfaction she could from his stricken expression. Not used to not getting your way, she internally smirked. Unable to stop herself before sticking the proverbial needle she continued "handsomely so, if I may add."

Lips pressed into a thin line, he asked, words clipped and sharp "What needs to be done to be rid of you Ms. Higurashi?"

Brows coming closer, she was briefly tempted to kick off the cane, to prove in the heap of crumpling body how much he and his knee need the help but as she could never take pleasure in others suffering and stomach their pain, she shook her head instead, ridding herself of the vivid picture.

Sighing deeply, her head snapped at the scrapping sound. Mr. Wayne changed his hold, the switch leading to a more forgiving position for the joints that punished the spine and back muscles instead and led to a stubborn set of the jaw that told her more about his condition than anything she learned from the elderly… manservant? No, that didn't sit well. There was a staggering dose of sincere concern when he spoke about Master Wayne earlier. A protector of sorts? Wait. Hasn't she read an excerpt about Mr. and Mrs. Wayne dying, leaving the care of their only son in the hands of a trusted friend who also happened to be their butler? Quite a scandal at the time.

Her face softening she chided gently "Mr. Pennyworth deserves better than that."

Flinching, Bruce shoulders hunched further. Clearly outmaneuvered, he lifted himself on the table. "So he does."

Instead of commenting, she rubbed her hands together, friction warming the skin before she touched, prodded and probed. After a careful examination, she offered "Let's start simple. A massage will relax the knotted muscles creating space between the bones and the ligaments while the ointment will promote regeneration."

"And soon, you will promise to heal me in no time?" he mocked.

"Did you know there is a theory claiming the cells in human body are being replaced at least once every seven years?" she recounted while scooping a generous amount of oily paste. "Some more rapidly than that, every few days or weeks." Bruce knee jumped at the initial coolness but she continued undeterred, both the circular rubbing and the story. "Just think about it. Every seven years, you are a completely new person."

"A nice idea but an inaccurate one." He interrupted.

"True." she conceded. "But you are missing the point of the story."

The lifted eyebrow conveyed without the words the skeptical: which is?

"The human body potential to heal is greater than most doctors are open to admit and… don't forget the cartilage has a proven ability to regenerate, albeit a limited one. So to answer your earlier question. No, I'm not going to promise to heal you completely but I'll do everything in my power to improve the situation and reduce the pain." she smiled reassuringly. "The rest is up to you."

"You don't really expe –" he started to get up but a well places palm stopped his progress mid – air hushing him effectively. "For now, I only expect you to relax, Mr. Wayne. Can you do that, please?"

Grumbling he allowed his head to fall back.

"Relax and let me do the work" she repeated while she kneaded the stiff muscles.