Title: One Last Thing
Disclaimer: DC and KidsWB (or maybe just WB?) own.
AN: Takes place a few months after B:TAS' Cult of the Cat.
The night was cold, clear, and perfectly dark, just the way she preferred it. The air was crisp and, surprisingly, clean...for Gotham. She moved through the city as though she had never left. But now that she was back, there was one more thing she wanted to do.
Catwoman broke into and out of the museum with far too much ease. It appeared that in her absence, no improvements had been made to the security. She tsked, though it was a far better thing for her in the end. Their mistake, her gain.
She grabbed the Jade Cat, a priceless artifact thousands of years old, and made her way up to the museum rooftop. When she got there, all she could do was smile. It seemed someone had been practicing while she was gone.
"Well, hello," she smiled radiantly at him.
Batman didn't reply, his expression as unreadable as ever. He had been dreading the day she returned for many reasons. Mainly because deep in the hidden recesses of his mind a form of elation tried to break past his defenses whenever a museum alarm went off. Every time it happened, he couldn't help hope that it was really her and not one of the various copycats she left after their ordeal with the Cult.
"Back to resume your life of crime." It was a statement and question in one.
She laughed, that melodic, husky laugh he dreamt of from time to time. It filled his ears and he tried to memorize it, to lock it away and keep it a part of him forever.
"Not quite, darling," she informed him, her voice teasing, "I did, however, come back to steal one last thing from Gotham." Long, elegant fingers hidden under black gloves curled tightly around the inanimate cat in her hands.
Batman looked down at the jade statue — the little hope he'd experienced, crushed — and blue eyes sought green ones behind the mask trying to understand why. He was taken by complete surprise when she placed the Jade Cat down on the roof between them, then stepped back towards the edge of the building.
"I didn't come here to fight you, Batman," she dropped her whip next to the statue in one quick motion, "I only needed that lovely cat to get your attention."
He blinked and his muscles tensed not quite following what she was up to.
Catwoman took another step back, her right foot reaching the edge of roof. She winked at him and jumped off.
"Selina!" He was surprised that Bruce's voice yelled after her, but he ignored his slip and quickly jumped off behind her.
Batman caught her a quarter of the way down the building. They swung away together, but she didn't say a thing. All she could manage was a quiet sigh as she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head against his shoulder.
When he landed them safely two rooftops away from the museum he finally asked, "Selina, what's wrong?" He didn't bother attempting to hide the concern so evident in his voice. He was beginning to worry.
"Nothing," she sighed again, looking up at him, "I just missed..." she paused, smiling weakly, "It got boring without you," she admitted, then looked away. It was only half the truth.
He was torn between keeping his arms securely around her or releasing her to figure out what else she planned to steal if not the Jade Cat. She made it easier for him when she was the one to pull away. Her hands fell to her side and instantly he missed the warmth her closeness brought.
"What are you planning, Selina?" he asked, needing to know, but fearing the answer.
Catwoman tore off her mask, her short, black hair slightly disheveled, "Do you really want to know?"
He didn't. He really didn't. He wished he could pretend things were different between them. That for a moment she wasn't a thief and he didn't have to stop her. But he couldn't change who and what they were. And, he had to know, so Batman nodded once.
She moved towards him, placed her hand over the bat insignia on his chest, feeling the steady beat underneath, and simply said, "This. I want this."
She didn't need to explain or say any more, he understood. He only had to decide what, if anything, to do about it.
The night was quite. No signal lit up the sky. No sirens sounded below. He looked down at her, her hand still over his heart, and he pulled her in for passionate kiss, deep and intense.
She broke away only to say, "My apartment isn't too far."
He picked her up and with the help of his grapple gun, reached her place as fast as he could.
…
Batman stood in her living room, motionless.
Selina was a few feet away, smiling enigmatically, and peeling off the rest of her costume. She threw the black suit over a chair and walked towards her bedroom.
With a half-grin threatening to turn into a full-blown smile, Batman followed.
…
Isis meowed as Selina stretched in bed. She wasn't surprised to see he'd left at some point while she slept. She was, however, surprised to see he'd left a note for her. She picked it up and read:
You can't steal what's already yours
—B
