Batman was simply amazing. I've already seen it twice in three days! Selina and Bruce was a pair for the ages.
"It is a far, far better rest I go to than I have ever known…"
The words seemed to echo in her head everywhere she went. Ever since she had showed up to his funeral, black dress, red lips, she couldn't get them out of her mind. Alfred gave her a small smile as the crowd left. Only him knowing how much Bruce had really meant to her. The only one that knew how much it hurt her to be leaving Gotham, without him.
The plane ride had been reasonable, the time difference a smooth transition. Florence had been the one place she knew where to start over. In her early days as a theft she had heard stories about the "wonderland" across the ocean. A city where you could live unnoticed and untouched. She seemed a little out of place with the fashion, (black was her thing) but overall it wasn't Gotham so it was fine.
She dreamed of him everywhere. The alleyways she crossed the diamonds she thought to smuggle. He was in her every sense and sometimes she couldn't even stand looking at herself in the mirror. Nights on the roof were the worst. Looking down at a city alone brought her back to the nightmares she had been trying to erase for the last six months. The ones where she let him leave her.
She could have loved him forever.
But it seems now she'll never get the chance.
It's early in the morning when the bell for her house rings. She had taken to buy a modern looking place in the valley. The hills of wine country surrounding and leaving her to a peace of mind, something she had been trying to achieve for a while now.
He knows he has a lot of explaining to do and doesn't know how he ended up in Italy but when she opens the door he manages to say the only thing that comes to mind.
"I'm sorry."
She's sure her face has drained because she can feel it rushing through her bones. She slaps him hard to get rid of the tears starting to form and all he does is chuckle and grab his chin. He looks a little more frayed than he used to and his hair has grown out. She doesn't realize how much she missed him until he grins a bit and bellows out that deep voice of his.
She falls into his arms a little quicker than she should.
It takes time, a lot of time actually for them to fall into a routine and for trust to become a solid factor in their (her) life. Bruce has never played the doting boyfriend and Selina has never allowed it. Some days are better than others; others are them trying to work out how to be normal and her learning how to forgive him for all those months.
He doesn't like to talk about Gotham.
Sure he misses Alfred and Fox. They were his family for as long as he could remember. But this is what they wanted he reminds himself, this right here with Selina is what he had been trying to achieve for god knows how long. He had let Rachel slip away and he wasn't about to do it again. Gotham was safe, Gotham had a new hero. They had Blake, they had Robin.
He knew Fox probably thought he was alive. There was never a doubt that he was going to let himself die in that plane that day. He wasn't going to let Talia and Bane win. They had already done enough damage.
He watches her a lot at night. Night scares him the most and she can tell it bothers him. "You know I'm a big girl Wayne." She purrs into his ear. She's trying to shake off the independent vibe but she doesn't know how to be attached. Something their both learning everyday.
He knows she can take care of herself, no doubt. He just doesn't want her to. Not after all these years of being alone.
Italy is good to them. She takes up mindless hobbies and he buys himself a warehouse and builds things. She learns that Fox has rebooted the company and Bruce is in some contact with him. They know he's alive and it doesn't bother her. She knows he needs them. He always has.
Selina's already in bed by the time he gets home and he knows he's late. Fox had called him over the international line to talk about finances and it's not until two hours in that he realizes he missed their anniversary. A year had passed since he fell upon her doorstep. Something he knows Selina holds dearly even though she'd never admit it. She has a hard shell and he knows he's the only one that can break it. He's the only one she trusts.
Bruce see's her sit up when he comes in and holds his breath. He doesn't know what to say. She's tired, he can tell. Her face is rubbed clean and she's wearing one of his shirts. She can't sleep in anything else. He starts to say something but she puts her hand up.
"I don't think I can do this anymore." Her voice cracks. He squeezes his eyes shut, trying to block it out. He knows it's been a long time coming; the last few months, ever since he's attached himself back to Gotham. He's been losing her, watching her slip out of his fingers. She faces him, tears starting to form and he turns away. "Look at me." She whispers.
He stares into the girl, few years younger than himself. The girl he's grown to love even more than Rachel and doesn't know why he's driving her away. She cups his face and starts to tremble. "You and I could have gone anywhere." She quotes, a piece from their past. "Selina I…" She stops him. "You can't have both anymore Bruce you have to let something go." She cries out now becoming even more fragile. He knows she's never been like this with anyone else. She never lets herself break.
"I can try." He says and swallows the lump in his throat. "No, so that's why I'm leaving." He looks around the room rapidly, anything but her and soon he's alone in their house, the house and life they made together. The only thing left but their cat purring at his feet.
Alfred's surprised to see the woman before him. She gives him that small smile coated in Chanel lipstick as she walks in the penthouse. She had never wanted to come back to Gotham but after catching a red eye she had found herself with no where to go.
It looks the same, the city had rebuilt pretty perfectly after the last couple of years and Alfred and Fox had taken upon themselves to honor Bruce's image and his company. He was worth billons once more. "And how is life Miss. Kyle." He asks while bringing in coffee one morning. He hadn't had company to serve in awhile. "Is the slate everything you thought it to be?" She smiles at him and he notices the sadness in her eyes.
"You know he loves you Miss. Kyle. Probably the greatest thing you've ever done to that boy is giving him the love he's always strived for." She tries to fight back the tears starting once again. When had she gotten so damn emotional? "Then why can't he just love me back Alfred." She whispers and giving him a hug, heads back to her room.
He's sitting on their terrace, the one he had built himself. Selina had been away in Paris and he had taken the whole weekend to build her a balcony overlooking their wine fields. She came home all dolled up and gave him this look of pure bliss. He knew how to crack her shell.
Fox is on the line, skyping him. He knew he shouldn't be involving himself in Gotham affairs but couldn't help himself. He didn't know what else to live for. "Perhaps a certain young lady that's been in your life for quite some time now Mr. Wayne." Fox says firmly. "I don't know how to keep her close without hurting her Lucius." Bruce admits as the sun sets and the cat rubs up against him. It missed Selina.
"Mr. Wayne you are probably the most confusing man I've ever know." Fox starts out. "But I do know that girl is the best thing that's ever happened to you. She keeps you straight. She keeps you wanting life. Now what are you going to do about it. I have the company back in running; you have your trust fund saved away. Miss. Kyle won't be around forever, I think we both know that."
Bruce sighs and says goodnight to Fox. The pain in his chest starting to numb him away.
"I don't see how bringing a child into this world, his world none the less would do any good Alfred." Selina whispers sharply as she looks down at Gotham. Alfred sighing leaves her with a glass of water and wonders if this girl will ever rebuild her heart again.
Bruce is in the warehouse when he gets a call from Alfred. "I just wanted to let you know Master Wayne that Miss. Kyle left Gotham earlier this morning. She left no whereabouts. Bruce swallows hard and hangs up when suddenly he realizes he needs a plane. His plane, now.
She's on top of the Eiffel Tower when he finally spots her. It's the dead of winter and not many tourists are here. It's also after visiting hours; she still had her charm after all these years. "Pretty dangerous to be up here alone." He cries out and she turns sharply. "What are you doing here Bruce." She gets down snapping. He grabs her arm quick and notices her looking away. "Look at me." He whispers gently. He knows she's crying and that's why she won't turn but he doesn't care anymore. Their not the people they used to be and he's tired of hiding everything.
"What are you doing here?" She says once again, this time weaker. "I love you." He replies back. "You have a funny way of showing it." She snarls and walks away from him. "Selina were not the people we used to be and I get that, I get that now. But as much as I've been running so have you. Your just as afraid as I am." She finally turns to look at him, new tears running down her face. "You don't know me anymore you can't say that." Bruce chuckles. "I know that you love me and I know that it's gonna be a lot of work and I haven't been anything you've needed. But I know you trust me, deep down. And I trust you, more than anything. We need each other, our kind. You and me need each other."
She's biting her deep red lips and hates the fact that he's here, in Paris saying all these things to her, all the things she's been waiting to hear for god knows how long. Everything is so honest and raw and him not backing down, looking at her makes it even scarier.
"And how do I know your not just going to get up and leave me again." She whispers. "I believe you're the one who left me." Bruce chuckles lightly. "Because I had to Bruce and you know that." She fights back and he suddenly sees how exhausted she looks. Her hair is longer and her makeup the same but she's thinner almost, and pale. She looks like he's beaten her to death. Which in the end he kind of has.
"I gave you the one thing I despised the most, trust. And you just played with it like a game of cat and mouse." He looks at her once more, this time coming closer, engulfing in her scent. "Selina…" "I'm pregnant Bruce, I'm carrying your child." She breaks and fresh tears start to roll. She doesn't think she's ever cried so much.
He looks a little shocked, which she knew he would be. And before she knows it he's putting his hand around her cheek and she lets herself relax in his touch. "Selina I love you." He whispers once more. "And will that be enough, for the rest of our lives Wayne, will it?"
He's touching her ruby lips and realizing how much she completes him. "You and me," He pauses and looks down at her semi-swollen belly. "You and me and this baby, for the rest of our lives." She hitches a breath and lets herself hide in his shoulder.
"Your forgiven Wayne." She's too tired to play this game anymore and she needs him desperately, she always has. She was just waiting for him to need her. He kisses her temple and soon it's just them standing on the tower, engulfed in each other.
The city of lights surrounding them as a whole.