" Geez he doesn't look so good Red."
That voice. He knew that voice from somewhere. This voice that seems so far off in the distance. This voice that just makes even more questions suddenly pop into his mind with one dominating all the others.
Where is he? What happened? Why can't he remember anything? Why can't he feel anything? Too many questions on his mind.
So many unanswered questions. Questions that he wanted answered but his body would not allow it. Would not allow his eyes to open that feel so heavy.
Feel so tired as he tries desperately to open his eyes only to be met with blurry vision. This vision that causes him to close his eyes as quickly as they open as a bright light engulfs them.
This bright over hanging light that he can still feel creeping through his closed eyelids. This bright light that suddenly flashes once again causing this surge of pain to run through his body live a flame of heat.
This flame that burns brightly from his toes all the way towards his head like an inferno. This inferno that only deepens as his body suddenly comes to life lifting up slightly from its resting place only to feel two set of hands coming over to pin him down by his chest.
A sudden gesture that does nothing to stop the pain as it only intensifies by the second when suddenly another flash occurs before his eyes bringing up a memory.
A past memory. His most painful memory. The memory that started it all. The memory of that fateful night when his parents had been taken from him.
This memory that he could remember perfectly. Remember perfectly as this thief ripped off his mother's pearl necklace seeing the pearls all across the ground.
Remembering how his father has suddenly tried to get in the way before a loud bang echoed through the alleyway.
This bang that his body reacts to in spasming upward with the gun blast in perfect unison before it quickly does it again when the gun goes off again when he remembers the thief turning the gun towards his mother silencing her screams.
Such a horrible memory. A horrible memory that doesn't stop there as another comes flooding into his mind.
The memory of his first love. The memory of all the good times he had shared with Andrea Beaumont. All these good times that had come to an end when she had left him leaving her engagement ring behind in a desperate attempt to run away from the mafia along with her father.
This woman that had suddenly returned into his life many years later in a different form. As a different Andrea. A more vicious Andrea.
But a piece of the same woman that he had loved. A woman that he had watched disappear into a trail of smoke bringing a bloodied Joker with her to never be seen again.
A memory that quickly starts another as though it was a slideshow. Another that had hit closer to home.
The memory of holding Jason Todd's dead body in his arms. The second Robin that was like a son to him.
This young man that had died way before his time. Too young with a life left unfulfilled. Goals to never be accomplished.
The very same set of goals that he is reminded of in his latest memory that had taken place a short couple of months ago.
Barbara. Sweet innocent Barbara Gordon attacked in her father's home at the hands of The Joker completely helpless.
Completely helpless leaving her completely paralyzed from the waist down thanks to his vicious attack that had been an intended message for her father.
Too many painful memories that just makes more and more surges of pain run directly through his body like a river current causing his body to spasm against the cold table he is laying across on as two women look on in total panic.
" Hurry up over there will ya!? You're the cure remember!?"
And just like that the memories disappear in the distance. Disappear when a soft pair of lips make contact with his own causing his world to go completely black.
Feeling a bright light creeping its way through his closed eyelids unable to keep the groan from escaping his lips causing him to hear quiet footsteps suddenly appear coming over towards him from his side turning his head towards the sound slowly as he opens his eyes to find himself staring into a pair of green eyes that just twinkle at him with nothing but mischief through very blurry vision that he has sworn to have seen before as he tries to get up from his spot into a sitting position to get a better look suddenly Batman watches in a green blur a pair of arms come in front of him and push him back down effortlessly to the table beneath him.
" Easy. You need to give your body time to adjust."
That voice. He knows that voice. That voice belongs to….
And just like that instantly Batman's eyes snap wide awake causing a giggle to come from the woman hovering by his side.
A beautiful woman. That was no doubt in anyone's mind. This beautiful woman that just stares down towards him with a faint grin across her face.
One of the deadliest woman on the planet. One of Gotham City's own. A deadly vixen by the name of Poison Ivy.
A truly sinister and deadly woman. A woman that could kill even the strongest with a simple kiss. A woman that could make any do their bidding with a simple blow of powder smoke.
A woman that could have killed him by now. A woman that had been unseen in the city for quite some time.
This woman that he watches just staring down towards him with her lips curling up into a seductive smile.
" Hello love. It's been a while hasn't it?"
Unable to keep the complete look of shock from breaking across his face for a fraction of a second quickly trying to mask his emotions as he hears another giggle escape her lips slowly Batman watches Ivy shake her head as her smile only widens.
" Have you missed me because i've missed you."
Suddenly as she sees a very faint blush coming across his cheeks that just makes her feel so pleased inside slowly Ivy leans forward taking a closer look liking what she sees.
" Oh? If my eyes are deceiving me then you have missed me. To think little old me could make the big bad Batman blush."
Seeing him trying desperately to suppress his emotions behind the cold exterior of his trademark emotionless look that she now knew to be nothing more than a mask shaking her head in amusement reaching down gently Ivy cups Batman's cheek gently before she turns his head slightly in each direction taking in his facial features.
" Your vitals seem better. I take it you don't remember what happened to you?"
Finding her question being answered in the form of his eyes leaving her own to look down towards her hand for a brief second feeling her lips curling up gently Ivy brings her hand up to gently trace his cheek.
" Your cat friend betrayed you luring you into a trap. Such a bad kitty."
Tracing his cheek with her thumb seeing that she has his full attention reaching out with her foot gently Ivy pulls over a chair and sits down without her gaze leaving his own.
" The large shipment of Crane's serum that was being sent from overseas was nothing more than a hoax.
There was no shipment. In fact there was no Crane. He's still drying out in a hole somewhere. What was real as the new serum that had been dosed into your body.
A more powerful serum that he has been working on. You've felt the effects itself."
Gently stroking his cheek once again leaning forward until she is mere inches away quietly Ivy whispers into Batman's ear.
" I heard everything you said Mr Wayne."
Pulling her head back as she sees nothing but shock riddled across his face sending him a small smile shaking her head slightly gently Ivy palms Batman's cheek.
" You were mumbling in your sleep love. You've been in a restless sleep for the past three days. During this time you've….shall i dare say indulge me with some of your deepest darkest fears."
Slowly moving her hand upward in a sudden motion slowly to his shock Ivy pulls back Batman's hood revealing his face to her.
This face that just stares at her in complete shock making a small smile come across her face before gently she moves her hand back down against his cheek.
" There he is. There's the man that i love."
Instantly as his eyes go slightly wide earning himself a giggle suddenly as he feels her thumb tracing his face unable to help himself slowly Bruce closes his eyes as he feels her finger moving delicately across his skin.
" I never truly understood you until now."
Opening his eyes slightly as he sees her staring down towards him with a hint of understanding behind those green eyes gently Bruce leans into her touch causing a faint smile to come across her face.
" I could never figure out why a man like you would go out there every single night risking your life for people that truly will never appreciate you.
Will never stop looking down towards you as though your some kind of freak. An abomination to the world.
But i see why now. You go out there for them. You go out there to ensure what happened to you never happens to anyone else again.
And for that i believe you are the most amazing man in the entire world that deserves better than this."
In a sudden move reaching out Ivy cups Bruce's face in her hands as she leans across the table to get within inches of his lips.
" I can see your pain. This pain that you believe is yours to bare. You sacrifice so much asking nothing for return.
Your so damn noble but it's okay to be selfish once and awhile. I see so much pain behind those beautiful eyes of yours.
Let me take it away. Let me take away this pain. Let me take care of you and i promise you that it will never come back again for as long as i have a single breath in my body."
Without giving him a chance to respond in a sudden move instantly Ivy brings her lips crashing down to Bruce's own.
Silently emerging out of the car directly behind her boyfriend making sure to tuck the hood of her jacket firmly over her head not allowing a piece of her long recognizable red hair to be seen amongst the masses silently mouthing a quick thank you to Alfred that only just sends her a smile that causes one of her own to form across her face turning her sights over towards her boyfriend finding his face morphed into his trademark emotionless look taking his hand gently within her own with a gentle tug slowly Ivy pulls Bruce forward towards a dark alleyway.
A dark alleyway next to an old rundown theatre that has been closed for so many years. This theatre that has had its good share of memories.
Some good and some bad. Just like now. Just like how she can see the bad across her boyfriend's eyes as though he was reliving his experience here.
Reliving that night when everything changed. Where his journey of becoming The Batman had truly started.
All starting here. In this alleyway. This alleyway that wasn't anything special but would always hold a special place in her boyfriend's heart.
Always hold as the place he had lost his parents. This alleyway that she brings him to a stop directly into the middle of before slowly with her free hand she reaches into her jacket retracting two red roses from inside.
Two specially bred roses born for this. Two roses she had planted with an enhanced living life span. Two roses the she gently places down on the pavement as she bows her head down in respect.
Bows her head down in complete silence silently thanking the two older Waynes for raising such a wonderful son.
Thanking them for the noble sacrifice of giving their lives for their son. Her boyfriend. Her life long partner if she had any say in it.
Her silent thanks that comes to an end when she gets up from her kneeling position on the ground and turns towards Bruce to find silent tears trickling down his cheeks.
A sight that just breaks her heart seeing him like this. Seeing this strong man's shields falling revealing what he is truly feeling inside.
This sight that makes her reach out to take his face in her hands and gently wipe away the tears with her thumbs causing his eyes to meet her own.
Eyes that show nothing but sadness. Nothing but pain before they leave her own as she gently places buries his head into his shoulder wrapping her arms around him to rock him back and forth whispering soothing words into his ear.
His greatest fear. Losing the ones he cares about the most. A fear that had all started here. A fear she would help him step by step overcome.
Being as quiet as a mouse slowly descending down from the ceiling in the faintest of blurs just as she sees the ground coming up in a sudden move Catwoman presses her gloved hand down on a button causing the line she is attached to come to an complete halt.
A complete halt that she wastes no time in unlatching herself from the small harness allowing it to float in the air near her eyes before without any delay with an extra sway in her hips swinging her whip around effortlessly slowly she stalks her way forward through the darkness with her eyes darting across her surroundings looking for her prize.
Looking for an item that would be considered to be her biggest score once she had her paws on it. An object that she finds shining at her from behind a display case after a few minutes of searching causing her lips to curl upward.
A priceless artifact. The artifact known as The Cat's Eye. A Gold Statue of a cat with ruby sapphires for eyes. A priceless artifact dating back to the ancient egyptians.
A true piece of art that makes her eyes twinkle from its sheer beauty. This beauty that she can't help but stare at for a few seconds as her gloved hand comes down to rest against the glass separating her from it.
This glass that suddenly starts to silent creek as in a sudden move she extends her claws out of her glove and silently traces a large hold big enough to stick her hand inside and pull out the priceless artifact.
A hole in short time is available to her as she places down the cut out piece of glass down onto the ground before slowly as she reaches her right hand in to snatch the artifact from its resting place suddenly suddenly Catwoman's entire body goes rigid when she feels something being jabbed into the middle of her back and an electrical current going straight through her body.
This electrical current that felt as though she had been struck by lightning causing her to lose complete control of her body until before she knows it suddenly vanishes causing her to drop down to the ground in a heap.
A heap before she looks up to find a familaur wave of red hair staring down towards her with a grin plastered across her face holding a small taser in her right hand.
Smiling down sinisterly at her prey as she twirls the taser around effortlessly in her fingers causing a look of panic to come across Catwoman's face feeling her smile only widening slowly Ivy kneels down to get eye level with her.
" You've been a naughty kitty Selina and deserve to be punished."
Unable to keep her eyes from going wide suddenly as she hears another set of footsteps echoing through the empty exhibit tearing her eyes away from Ivy's own slowly Catwoman's eyes widen even further when she recognizes the other figure.
A figure that Ivy can't help but smile at causing this new presence to smile back towards her. This presence known as Harley Quinn that just skips on over towards her happy as can be wearing a security guard outfit twirling around a nightstick in her hand.
" Oh! I see you've caught the cat lady."
Letting out a giggle nodding her head slowly Ivy makes it back up to her feet as she sees Harley coming to a stop to stand by her side staring down towards a shell shocked Catwoman.
" So what should we do with her?"
Suddenly as she sees the sinister smile once again make an appearance across Ivy's face instantly Catwoman's eyes go as wide as saucers.
" Did you bring the toys?"
" Which one? Long dark and handsome or the buzzy one?"
Without turning her gaze away from her prey letting out a sigh slowly Ivy shakes her head slightly unaware of the slight pout coming across Harley's face.
" Neither. For your information, I don't need those. My man is more than enough for me to handle. Thank you very much."
Mumbling under her breath that she swears the woman by her side hears perfectly if the bright smile across her face was any indication turning her sights down towards Catwoman slowly a grin forms across Harley's face.
" Well if you want my opinion, I say we gag her and put her in the kennel. It's the least we could do after what she tried to have happen to your man."
Tilting her head slightly thinking about this new proposed idea after a few seconds of pondering suddenly a bright smile comes across Ivy's face.
" You know what Harls? That's not a bad idea."
Jumping up and down clapping in joy that earns her a small laugh from her side with the biggest smile coming across her face instantly Harley gives Ivy her full attention.
" Oh goody! I was hoping you would say that! Bud and Lou need a new playmate and i'm not talking about the magazine either."
" Harley!?"