Tallulah stood in the expansive room, staring at the now empty dresser and closets, her blue-grey eyes filling with tears. The stress had been getting to her, and quite frankly she wasn't sure she could handle it anymore. "Miss, may I ask where you're going?" Alfred called from the open doorway. Alfred had been like a father to her, especially after Thomas and Martha's death. Tallulah Montgomery was the daughter of a maid at the Wayne household and when her mother died, she was taken in by the Wayne family as a symbol of respect towards the hard work her mother put forth to keep the house tidy and presentable; it probably helped that Mrs. Montgomery had been Martha's best childhood friend.
Tallulah, Rachel and Bruce grew up together and though she approved of Bruce's feelings towards Rachel, she was jealous, green with envy if you will. Both were prickly redheads, but Tallulah was less aggressive than her counterpart. While Rachel went to law school to become a marvelous attorney, Tallulah was focusing on becoming a journalist for the Gotham Times. The two had remained close, even after Bruce's 'death' though Tallulah always felt he was still alive. Bruce wasn't a quitter, if anything he was a survivor.
But the lovely bliss of friendship of course came to a screeching halt that horrible, malicious night when Rachel was mercilessly kidnapped and well, killed. Both Bruce and Harvey, her powerful fiancé, had become different after that night. With Harvey it was obvious, half of his face had been seriously burned and his attitude changed; but with Bruce he became darker, more cynical and skeptical of the good that people could do. And that was wearing thin upon Tallulah's nerves. That, and his tendency to don a cape at night and allow himself to get a beating by the remaining mobsters or beating them to an inch of their life before turning them over to Jim Gordon and the rest of the police force. To be quite frank, Tallulah wasn't sure what concerned her more. That Bruce was allowing himself to be beaten so badly or that he was letting his anger control him.
"I'm not sure, but I just need to get away. I'll come back soon, I do have a job you know." She joked half-heartedly as she fiddled with the off-white envelope that was clutched close to heart. In this envelope, everything was explained, much like Rachel had done, which at the time Tallulah thought was cowardly but now the tables had turned and she had to resort to alerting the one man who could make her heart flutter with just a glance in her general direction by the written word. Of course in her case writing was what she did best, so it was eloquent and what she hoped was sensitive. It had only been a few months since Harvey and Rachel had passed on to the other realm, and now Bruce was going to loose his other lifelong friend, but not to death.
"I'm quite aware, Miss Montgomery." Alfred let out a chuckle.
"How often do I have to tell you to call me Tallulah. Miss Montgomery was my mother." The redhead responded calmly.
"Do you know when you'll return?" His words were carefully masking the concern that laced in his voice.
"I don't think I'll be returning, at least not to the penthouse. I'll return to my apartment." Tallulah responded smoothly as she pulled her thick hair up into a high ponytail. Her apartment hadn't been used since last year, when Bruce insisted that it was too dangerous for a woman to be living alone in the Narrows, especially when she was only five foot five, a fact that he often liked to rub in. Of course, he couldn't make Rachel budge and move in (for once Tallulah was grateful that her friend was so stubborn), which allowed Tallulah to spend more time with Bruce.
"I see. Please be careful Tallulah. You're as much like family as Master Wayne is, and I'd hate to see anything happen to you. For my sake and his." With that, the elderly butler left the young woman to finish her impromptu packing and returned downstairs.
It didn't take long for Tallulah to finish; she didn't own many clothes and was leaving the expensive clothing Bruce had bought for her, a fact that she would occasionally indulge herself in a slight fantasy that was his sly way of showing his affection.
"Alfred, would you please give this to Bruce? And this time, don't burn it." She said with a stern look, her plump lips set in a firm line.
The fatherly butler sighed and nodded his head, "Yes Tallulah, I will." His eyes weren't tearing, but they were sad and seemed to be asking 'do you have to go?' to which Tallulah's eyes responded with 'yes. I do.'
She gave him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek before walking out and into the cab, which she called a mere ten minutes ago. Quickly Tallulah recited the address and leaned back, trying to get comfortable on the cracked and bumpy backseat; but as it turned out, previous occupants had taken all the comfortable positions.
Soon, but not soon enough, she arrived outside the rundown apartment building that she had begun to call home. She paid the cab driver and gave him a generous tip, to which he thanked her profusely making Tallulah's pale cheeks turn a bright red as she smiled back at the now cheerful cabbie.
Her apartment was cramped but it still maintained the cozy feel, which unfortunately the penthouse was unable to ever feel like. Maybe if it had a reason to feel like home, reasons like Bruce. The traitorous thought slipped in and out of her mind before she could even stop it. She mentally chastised herself as she began to cram her clothes into the now broken drawers and hang up whatever needed to be hung up.
Before long, her stomach was rumbling. Luckily, she had the forethought to buy some instant noodles and stock up on them last week when she began to think about moving out. A thought that had somehow been toying with her mind all week, leaving her jumpy and fearful that someone (namely Bruce) would find out and manage to convince her not to; and Bruce was great at convincing people.
Tallulah grabbed the kettle and turned on the faucet to fill it up all while struggling to light the small gas stove. She could have bought a bigger apartment in a safer neighborhood, but she preferred to give her money to charity rather than spend it on herself. She was quite capable of keeping herself safe, thank you very much. Her apartment windows were barred and she had at least six locks on her door, a pain when one needed to get out, but it made her feel protected and that was what mattered. It also helped that she was the only one with keys to the place, which she wore on her person at all times. A fact that Bruce often teased her about when she first moved in, but soon as the Joker began to show his face, he stopped teasing. At first it seemed a little strange but when she finally asked Rachel, whom Bruce always confided in (a fact that often made Tallulah so sad that she could hardly leave the bed), she was promptly filled in on Bruce's 'extra-curricular' activities.
The fact that she wasn't informed by either of her friends, certainly set off one of her 'episodes'. You see, Tallulah had what she liked to call 'momentary depression'. Something that troubled her friends and the entire Wayne family, especially when they started lasting for days rather than hours. The depression started soon after her mother was killed in a drive-by when Tallulah was nine, two years after the Wayne's were killed. Tallulah was always close to her mother, more than most children were, and it shattered her when her mother was killed. So much that Alfred often toyed with the idea of therapy, but even at nine, Tallulah was stubborn and adamantly refused to go see some quack who would ask her about her feelings which she enjoyed playing close to the chest, thank-you-very-much.
Tallulah was shaken out of her memories by the high pitched shriek of the kettle, alerting her that the water was boiling and she could begin to make the instant noodles. A meal she would have to get used to, she decided, seeing as she could barely cook without burning down the kitchen.
Soon as she was done with her impromptu dinner, Tallulah was sprawled out on the couch sleeping soundly.
"What do you mean she left?" Bruce shouted at the elderly butler as soon as he was informed that Tallulah was no longer staying at the penthouse.
"Exactly what I said. She moved out, Master Wayne. She did however, leave this for you." With that, Alfred handed the furious and shell-shocked man the off-white envelope.
Bruce examined the thick paper in his hand, his name written in quick cursive writing on the front. He turned it over and opened it, pulling out the letter within.
Dear Bruce,
I'm sorry. I couldn't do it anymore. I worry about you too much. And though my being away will probably make me worry even more because I won't be able to see you when I wake up, eating the always-delicious breakfast that Alfred makes (would you please tell him I said that? I don't think you compliment him nearly as much as he deserves). My reasons are merely selfish. I suppose I should tell you my reasons, right? After all, you have been putting up with me practically forever. I owe you that much.
I love you Bruce, plain and simple. Not like a brother or sister, and heaven forbid like friends. I mean I love you, like a woman loves a man. I accept that you're still hung up over Rachel's death, and rightly so. Even now, I sometimes lay in bed at night thinking that it should have been me, even though I doubt that madman knew about me. But you need to accept it, she was going to marry Harvey. I should know, she asked me to be her maid of honor, and I'm pretty sure she was going to ask Harvey to make you his best man. She loved you Bruce, never forget that, but she loved you as a friend.
It wasn't fair that she was taken away from you, but then again, life isn't fair. It never has been fair. If life were fair your parents would still be here, hell my mother would still be here and there would be no need for Batman. But there is, and they aren't here. I'm safe, in my apartment, but I would like it if I could have a mere few days to myself, just to gather my thoughts and get back in the swing of things. Hell, if you never want to see me again I can understand that, because I know deep down, Batman is in trouble.
Bruce stopped reading for a moment, it was getting too hard to see with his deep brown eyes filling up with tears. It seemed everyone deserted him, except for Alfred of course, but that fact was far from his mind. He wiped his eyes with a quick brush of his hand and resumed reading the letter.
Soon, I wonder if it will be too hard to keep up Batman. I know the city needs him, and on some level you need him. People still support him, that much is certain since he wasn't turned in or any sightings called into the police. They know we need him. The city would be overrun with crime if it weren't for him. He made Falcone and Maroni afraid, something even the police couldn't do.
I said it once and I'll say it again, since I figure you're probably about to throw this letter into the fire and never hear from me again, I love you. And I always will. I'm not saying this so that you feel guilty or come rushing over. I just think you should know. If someone was in love with me, I'd want to know, I guess.
Love always,
Tallulah Montgomery
P.S. Do tell Alfred I love his cooking. He very rarely gets complimented on anything.
Bruce's shoulders sunk and his head was down. He felt like an idiot. On some level, deep down, he knew Tallulah was right. Batman did need someone. Originally he thought that someone would be Rachel Dawes, but now and even before the letter, he often would imagine himself coming home after a long night bleeding and having Tallulah's soft hands help Alfred fix him up. Of course, Bruce wasn't too sure how he felt towards the redhead, but he knew it was more than feelings of brotherly love. He often entertained the idea that he was falling for her, but the rational side of him often said that Tallulah was a bright girl and was bound to find someone worthy of her.
The truth was that Bruce was scared that he would hurt her, intentionally or not. His temper often got the best of him and he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he inflicted any form of hurt upon one of his oldest friends.
Morning broke in Gotham City, lighting the tall buildings with the sun's early morning golden beams. The criminals were slinking off into their holes and Batman would be returning to the Bat cave if he wasn't already asleep, masquerading as Bruce Wayne. That was probably one of the few things that Tallulah and Rachel could agree upon. Bruce Wayne was the mask, Batman was the real person. A fact that Tallulah felt often dismayed the handsome prince of Gotham. She knew one day he wanted to hang up his cape and live out the rest of his days with a family, maybe some little ones running around. Of course Tallulah often envisioned herself playing a part in that future, playing the role of a loving wife and doting mother, but now she was dead sure it wouldn't happen. If she didn't scare Bruce away with her confession of love, he was probably extremely mad at her and wouldn't want to see her for a while. A thought that broke her heart, but as the week meandered on, she grew to live with it.
It was now Saturday, a week after she left, and Tallulah was enjoying the warmth by sitting in the park under a willow tree, reading one of her favorite books. Her red hair was pulled up in a ponytail, looking redder than usual with her green sweater. Her jeans were well worn in and her worn out converse were digging into the dirt, but Tallulah didn't mind, she was quite fond of the outdoors. Overhead, the birds were chirping and the peals of laughter from children echoed throughout the park. Luckily, the mayor had put money into this park to keep it 'safe' for children to play in, but at night it was certainly no place anyone would willingly enter. Unbeknownst to her, a certain billionaire was also enjoying the relaxing Saturday with a walk in the park, only his mood was more brooding than the light-heartedness that had recently become Tallulah's mask.
Bruce walked through the park, half hoping to catch a glimpse of Tallulah but half hoping not to. He wasn't quite sure how he would greet her if he did, and that thought scared him. He was a man who liked to have a plan. It unnerved him not to. But today, luck was on his side and he spotted a familiar bag leaning against a willow tree. As he approached, he noticed Tallulah sitting with her back resting against the trunk and her legs bent.
Tallulah was engrossed in her book so much that she almost didn't notice the shadow that now blocked her sun. She looked up to see the tall, muscular frame of her oldest and longest friend as well as love. "Bruce?" She was confused as to why her friend would be out here on a Saturday. Normally he was resting or out gallivanting off with a model or three.
Bruce didn't say anything as he sat down right next to her and leaned his back against the tree. "Beautiful day, isn't it?" He asked casually, his eyes staring at the green canopy of leaves above him.
"It is, but Bruce what are you doing here?" She was confused. Bruce made no effort to talk to her or even find her, something that hurt her more than when he told her he loved Rachel.
"Is it a crime for me to walk in the park?" He asked coolly, his eyebrows raised and his signature 'Brucie' smile; a smile reserved for his playboy mask, when he would buy hotels and restaurants.
"No, but you aren't walking, you're sitting." She remarked, marking her page before she closed her book as she repositioned herself to look at Bruce straight on for the first time in a week. He looked tired, the dark circles under his eyes were more evident and his face held less color than it used to. "Bruce what's wrong?" She asked after a moment's hesitation at whether the question would be well received.
"I'm glad it wasn't you." He blurted out randomly, his eyes crazy as they searched her face.
Tallulah reached out and gently caressed his cheek. "Bruce, what's wrong? What are you talking about?" She was confused, but loved the feeling of his warm flesh under her hand. Bruce wrapped his strong arms around her in a tight embrace.
"I'm glad the Joker didn't take you. It shouldn't have been you. I'm glad that it wasn't you." He rambled in her ear, still hugging her tightly to his well-muscled chest.
The words that were written on the letter finally came back to her, and she wasn't able to stop herself from saying "But you wish Rachel was here instead of me."
Bruce let go of her and stared at her, his eyes reflecting how torn and in pain he was inside. Tallulah immediately placed her hands over her mouth and wished deeply that she could take the words back.
She opened her mouth to apologize but Bruce beat her to speaking. "I can't choose, so don't ask me to. I love you both so much. Maybe I love you more than Rachel but I'm not sure."
Tallulah's stopped hearing what he was saying after he said 'I love you' the first time. Her body took over and leaned in, causing her to place a kiss on Bruce's lovely lips, surprising both Bruce and her.
Bruce's eyes widened at the feeling of Tallulah's lush, soft lips gently caressing his own, answering the question that had been on his mind all week (which happened to be 'what would it have felt like to kiss her' or some form of that).
They stayed like that for a few moments before the kiss began to become more passionate. Bruce wrapped his arm around her waist and used his other arm to hold her closer to him while Tallulah allowed her hands to roam up and down his back, playing with his hair occasionally and stroking his cheek often. Bruce licked her lower lip, which was followed by a throaty moan from Tallulah, causing her to blush incessantly. He smiled in the kiss and with great regret broke away from the redhead, but still remained close to her.
"Bruce I'm sorry I left, but I couldn't do it. I'm so sorry." She blurted before he could get a word in edgewise.
"Don't be, I was stupid. I was comparing you to Rachel, both verbally and mentally." He admitted, a fact that Tallulah had wisely overlooked in the letter. "But your leaving made me realize how much I need you." Tallulah's face broke into a smile.
She wasn't expecting him to say that when she saw him for the first time after she left. "And I think I love you." Bruce finished his short speech with a slight blush that noticed his high cheekbones.
"I'll take that, but I know I love you." Tallulah murmured in his ear and began to kiss down his jaw-line until she found his lips where they shared a more gentle and sweet kiss, rather than that of a hot, impassioned, needy kiss like it was before.
"Does this mean that you're moving in again?" Bruce asked, his face resembling that of a hopeful child.
"If you want me to." Tallulah smiled shyly, but internally was laughing at the thought of moving back out after a week of being back at her apartment.
Bruce's face lit up like a child's on Christmas morning. He got up and held his hand out to Tallulah, who placed her hand in his large, calloused hand after gathering her book up. The two walked out from the tree, Bruce's eyes looking down with tenderness at the woman next to him, and returned her simple heartfelt smile.