The Bat Signal lit up the night sky in a luminescent yellow as it darted through the clouds, drawing the attention of the people walking the streets below. It was a typical winter night in Gotham City and despite the freezing temperature and icy side walks, the streets were still just as busy as always. People rushing through the streets paused to gaze at the bright light, stopping to comment and taking short moments to simply wonder what might be happening.
Across from the bustling street, a dark figure remained in the shadows, staring down in envy at the people living 'normal' lives before him. It was his job to protect them, to try ad stop what happened to him, happening to any more innocent people. Batman, The Dark Knight of Gotham City, stood on an old building, watching the light in the sky finally switch off. Resting his hand on the wall around the roof, he sighed before turning to swoop down to the bank currently being robbed.
"No time to talk then?" A female voice called out gently, stopping him in his tracks.
"Selina." He murmured, without turning back around to face her.
"What, so I don't even get a 'hello' anymore?" She answered, a hint of amusement in her voice.
"I'm busy." He growled, spinning around to see her balancing on a gargoyles head, the only thing supporting her one of her slender arms.
Pouting, she hopped onto the rooftop and moved closer to him, a slightly hurt expression on her face. "Bruce, I-"
His hand gripped her wrist as he pulled her into his chest, "I told you never to call me that out here." He said sternly, "You shouldn't even be out, not in your condition."
Gritting her teeth, Selina pulled away from his, her body language telling a completely different story to the hurt glazing her eyes. "My condition?" She hissed, hands bunched into fists, "It's been months Bruce, I'm fine now."
"Go home Selina." He ordered through clenched teeth.
"Well," She spat, her tone icy, her words laced with venom, "Is that how it is Bruce? I'm not some little kid you took in, I can look after myself, I was doing just fine until I met you."
Opening her mouth to speak again, she was cut off as she felt her back hit the roof top, knocking the wind straight our of her. He was on her, pinning her down as she tried to catch her breath, "See," He muttered, "You're still weak, you might have a potion off Zatanna, you might think you've gotten better, but you haven't."
Struggling helplessly, she growled in frustration and glared at him with fire in her eyes, "Let me go!"
"I'll let you go, but would someone else?" She felt shivers run up her spine as he said this, exhaling shakily, she looked up at him and swallowed hard. "Things have changed Selina, they've never been simple, but now...Now things are too dangerous."
"Bruce..." She mewed weakly.
Shushing her, he helped her to her feet, "Stop calling me that." He whispered softly, "We need to stay away from each other for a while, after what happened with Tommy Elliot, I don't want to risk putting you in any more danger."
"I can take care of myself." She cried defiantly.
Pulling her into an embrace, he guided her head to his shoulder and felt her heart pounding between them. "Selina," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, "I know you can, just not yet, you're still not healed..."
"B-But Hush, he's dead..."
"We don't know that for sure." He felt her grip him tighter as he said this, her heart pounding faster as she recalled the events. "Besides, even if he really is dead, there's still the threat of other criminals targeting you like he did."
"Batman, he was different though..." She argued.
"How? Like any other enemy I have, he wanted me to suffer, he was just smart enough to strike from a distance. Whose to say that the Joker won't try that? Or maybe Scarecrow?" He paused, listening to her soft breathing for a moment before continuing, "And you know who I am Selina. If they find out that you know...I dread to think."
"I'd never tell them." She said suddenly, "You can trust me, I'll take this secret to the grave."
Breathing heavily, he puled away from her, "hat's what I'm worried about..." He murmured before swooping down into the alley way below him.
A low chuckle filled the air in a dank room of a sleazy motel, just meters away from the now lone Catwoman stood atop the roof. The grimy blinds parted just enough to see out, but making it almost impossible to see in as a dark figure watched the woman sigh and begin to walk away.
"How ironic Batman, you have just given me a devilish idea." The figure spoke, unable to hide the gleeful tone as he hobbled over the single bed and tossed the binoculars to one side. "Beware the man who can strike from a distance Bruce..."
