Title: Four Times
Summary: They are two people having four different encounters in one night.
Disclaimer: DC owns all characters.
AN: Takes place early in the first Catwoman series of 1993.
Bruce Wayne didn't seem particularly interesting, though to be honest, all those rich snobs were usually quite boring. But since it was his foundation sponsoring the event and his family's jewels on display for the charity, what better way to get access to the rare gems than at the arm of the host himself. At least he was handsome and had a full set of hair.
Sure, Selina Kyle was attractive, though so were a lot of other women, but when a fuss was made over her beauty in the Gotham Globe, he knew she would be the perfect date to take to the fundraiser. She would get the exposure she probably craved and he'd have the flavor of the month at his side for all the tabloids to capture and gossip about. The rags would speculate about them endlessly, buying him a month or two of uninterrupted patrol.
The car stopped. Alfred got out and opened the door for her. She stepped inside and sat next to Bruce. He glanced at her and half-smiled, "Selina. You look lovely."
She narrowed her eyes, but he missed it having turned to look out the window, "Are you bored already, Bruce? The evening hasn't even begun."
Instantly, he snapped out of his reverie. She actually noticed his demeanor and not simply the pretty words, "Of course not," he smiled fully, if a bit stained, "Just thinking about work." He answered honestly for once. He was sure the Wayne Family Jewels would draw out the thief he'd wanted to capture for some time.
Selina grinned knowingly. She was sure he was wondering how to add millions to his billions, not that she could blame him. She was looking to increase her own bank account tonight.
Bruce's eyes were drawn to the diamond necklace she wore. Simple, but elegant, which pointed to the generous amount of cleavage she had on display; noticing for the first time that she wore a black strapless dress that showcased her delicately sculpted shoulders and arms rather nicely. It was surely picked out for that reason alone. He looked up at her. Green eyes waiting and ready to pounce if he made another mistake. He leaned forward and kissed her bare shoulder, "You look divine."
"I'm thrilled you noticed," she teased, satisfied with the small smile that broke out across his lips, but more pleased with the sudden desire that filled his eyes.
The drive was over too quickly and after they walked the red carpet, Bruce escorted Selina to the jewels themselves. Two guards stood outside the private wing which the guests entered and left at leisure.
They stepped inside and Selina smiled. The two different air ducts on opposite sides of the ceiling were just where she expected them to be. All these older buildings had similar designs. The cases protecting the two necklaces and three pairs of chandelier earrings were of the standard two-inch thick glass variety. The alarm used could be easily rerouted and if there was a weight censor, she knew exactly what to use: the earrings she currently wore that were hidden behind lush, black curls.
The band began to play and Bruce led Selina to the dance floor.
...
When Selina excused herself and made her way to the powder room, Bruce didn't mind one bit watching her walk away. He would have to find out more about this Selina Kyle. He found himself enthralled by the most stunning of green eyes and alluring, pouty lips, but...more surprising was her intelligence and wit. He half-smirked knowing Alfred would be pleased that for once he managed to stay more than a few minutes.
Bruce made his way towards the private wing. It was empty. Once the band began to play, his great grandmother's earrings and his mother's necklaces were forgotten. He heard a thudding sound and looked around. No one was there. Even the guards were taking their breaks. He heard a click and when he looked up, he saw her falling towards him from one of the vents. There was a blur of purple and then everything went dark.
Catwoman grinned, "Sorry Wayne, but if I waited for you to leave, the guards would have returned by then."
She went to work keeping an ear out for anyone approaching. The cases were easily disarmed. Her sharp claws cut through the glass with ease and she removed one of her own earrings to replace the ones she was taking.
Bruce stirred, but Catwoman was working on one of the necklace alarms and didn't notice. He peered one eye open and saw the purple blur come slowly into focus. Whatever she hit him with, it hurt. He got up slowly, but she turned as he tried to stand on wobbly legs.
"I don't think so, Wayne." She was on top of him before he had a chance to move.
He never realized… Had she always been so fast? So…voluptuous? She was straddling his hips and pinning his arms down. The room was dark—she must have turned the lights off while he was unconscious—and if he hadn't been in civilian clothing, they could have easily been out on a rooftop instead of on the Italian marble floor he recently paid to have installed. The difference, he realized, was that at the moment, he didn't mind their compromising position all that much. His wrists were under her knees, but he managed to move one enough to feel the material of her suit. He'd been curious for some time and the gauntlets prevented his knowing—not that he ever tried to touch her on purpose—but Bruce Wayne certainly could.
"Spandex? I imagined something sturdier."
"Think a lot about me, do you, Mr. Wayne?" she grinned not sure if that should bother her or not. She decided not and realized she'd been so busy planning earlier, she hadn't stopped to appreciate all his many charms. He was very handsome. She ran her fingers down his arm and chest finding the hard muscle hidden underneath all the fancy clothing.
He freed his hand, but he didn't push her off like he should have, instead his fingers trailed up her thigh, along her small waist, skimmed the outside of her breast until they stopped at her jaw. Some of her long curls slid across the back of his hand and he reached for the strands of hair. It was softer than he assumed.
He ran his fingers through her hair and pulled her down towards him with the very evident intent to kiss her.
"Uh-uh, not so grabby," she warned and gave him a right cross to the chin for his impatience. He passed out again and she didn't even punch him hard that time. She sighed, "So much for that." She slid off him and finished with the necklace, switched her other earring for it, and quickly made her way to the air duct when she thought she heard someone approaching.
...
As soon as Bruce noticed Catwoman reaching for her whip, he got up off the floor and disappeared down a narrow hallway hidden outside the private wing.
Catwoman made her way to the powder room as fast as she was able to through the ducts. Once she made sure no one else was in there, she landed in the locked restroom stall in order to change back to her evening dress again. The Wayne earrings and necklace were secured in her small clutch bag. Selina touched up her makeup and was out waiting for Bruce near the balcony in less than ten minutes.
Batman landed on the adjacent building and stared at Wayne Enterprises. He zeroed in on the rooftop, but the thief was nowhere in sight. The tracer he'd placed on the jewelry had been activated, but was still on the same floor. So, Catwoman had not attempted her escape yet.
There was a horrified scream from the ballroom and he used his grapple gun to swing over to it. Apparently, she had struck again.
He landed on the darkened balcony and observed the situation from the outside as a woman yelled at and insulted a waiter for dropping red wine on her expensive white dress.
"Didn't expect to see you here."
Batman had not heard anyone approach and turned around swiftly to see Selina looking up at him.
"Don't tell me, looking for a dance partner?" she smiled and her eyes gleam brightly. She looked at him up and down somehow closing the distance between them without seeming to move. He blamed her long dress for that trick. He saw the lust in her eyes as she watched him and he wondered if it was possible to be jealous of yourself? She had never looked at Bruce Wayne like that. Not remotely.
He became keenly aware that he had yet to do or say anything.
"You can't possibly be here protecting these rich snobs," she accused, closing the distance between them.
He narrowed his eyes and his mouth thinned down. Is that all she thought of him? Simply one of the rich snobs? But…wasn't that the point? Why should it bother him?
"Tell me, Batman, why are you here? Lose something?" she taunted, knowing he was looking for her only he didn't know it.
Batman studied her more closely. Nothing the papers said about her had been a lie. She was gorgeous. Smart. But what was much more interesting, she wasn't afraid of him. He'd have to examine that fully later. Now, he considered changing back into his dress suit to spend more time with Selina, which surprised him. He had never wanted to do that before. The mission had always come first. Still, he couldn't. Catwoman was out there.
He reached for his grapple gun and swung away.
Very pleased with herself, Selina smiled as she watched him disappear. He'd never been much of a conversationalist. But she knew what would get him to talk.
...
Batman turned away from Wayne Enterprises and his cape swirled behind him as he began the night's patrol in earnest. A few buildings away, he spotted that familiar blur of purple move quickly across the sky and on rooftops. He would get his mother's jewels back before the night was over.
He followed her and little by little cut the distance between them until she stopped suddenly. He almost crashed into her but managed to stay upright. She was grinning. Her long, black hair cascading over her purple covered shoulders, her red lips turned up and tempting him.
Now that he knew what he suit felt like, he had the urge to touch it again. He grabbed her wrist, but couldn't feel the soft texture through his gloves. Mentally, he shook his head and focused. He wasn't there for any of that anyway, "You stole something."
She raised an eyebrow amused at his sudden changes in mood, "Is that right?"
"Return it." Batman ordered holding out his other hand.
She pulled her arm away, but his grip was like a vise, "I don't have anything." And she didn't. While she waited for Bruce to come back from wherever he had gone off to, she overheard an older woman saying she remembered Bruce's mother wearing one of the necklaces. Selina felt…uncomfortable taking them after knowing that and returned them, but she didn't see the need in telling Batman any of it.
"I don't believe you," he replied through clenched teeth.
"That's your problem," she shrugged and noticed how his hand had slipped a bit from her wrist and covered more of her hand than anything else. She grinned up at him, "You know," her green eyes gleamed brightly in the moonlight and it was then that he remembered Selina. He'd left her alone at the fundraiser; he'd have to make it up to her. Catwoman continued, "If you wanted to hold my hand you could have just asked."
He flung her hand away as though she was on fire and it burned to touch her. He studied her closely, up and down and up again, and he was pretty sure she couldn't hide anything in that suit. Plus, he had not detected the tracers anywhere on her person. She had probably ditched the jewels somewhere along the way. He turned away, "If you try to sell them, I will find out." He jumped off and left her standing there, hands at her waist, eyes narrowed in annoyance.
She hated his dismissive attitude. She didn't know why she bothered, but she wouldn't worry about it too long. The night was young and she wasn't going home empty handed. There had been a few very expensive accessories hanging off of some of those rich sycophants that she couldn't let go to waste.
Catwoman smiled with predatory glee as she jumped off and went to work.
