Later that night as her husband was sleeping, Faith just sat there watching him...his face completely relaxed and peaceful which abated her guilt somewhat. The images from Bruce's dream wouldn't leave her mind as her eyes greedily raked over his face and body as he slept. How could Bruce ever think that she could hate him? She didn't think he was having second thoughts about their marriage...Faith wasn't jealous of the specter of Rachel anymore...but did her husband think she still thought he'd harbored feelings for his old flame? Or was the dream just a manifestation of his deepest fears?
Faith never had nightmares persay...just prophetic dreams about her father. Oh, she'd dreamt about Bruce...particularly when they were just starting out. Her dreams had been quite explicit and completely inappropriate for public consumption where her husband was concerned. Even after three years, he still completely overwhelmed her everyday. Women still lusted after him constantly, but he never looked at anyone the way he did her...he never smiled for anyone the way he did for her...and Bruce Wayne never capitulated to anyone's desires or whims the way he did for her. Faith rarely ever asked for anything extravagant from her husband, because he would give her whatever she wanted and she knew it. So her requests were only done when it was something she truly wanted. Her first request of a motorcycle a few months after they'd returned from their honeymoon had been met with excited enthusiasm, as her husband contacted every motorcycle company to send out someone so she could look at their inventory. She'd eventually settled upon a Ducati Streetfighter S, which Bruce had thought very appropriate. He'd purchased the bike with relish and the two of them spent many a summer afternoon riding around the outskirts of Gotham enjoying the speed and each other.
Faith hadn't asked for anything again until almost eighteen months later. She and Bruce had gone to a charity auction at Sotheby's in New York City benefitting the Metropolitan Museum...and one of the items up for sale had been an 18th century Boateng Saber, that was inlaid with not only gold, silver and copper...but the handle was handcrafted from the finest white ivory with gold filigree...the piece was a one of a kind, and when Faith had seen it in the auction catalog, her breath had hitched in appreciation. Bruce, being the ever watchful husband he was...had noticed immediately what had caught her attention and when the item came up for bid, he'd bided his time until the bidding had stalled around seven million dollars. He had then reached for her hand, kissed the back of it with a small smile and a wink, then raised the final bid another cool million just because he could.
The whispers from the crowd were nothing compared to the astonished gasp of Faith as she had smiled widely at her husband...his answering smirk letting her know that he expected to be handsomely rewarded for his generosity...and he had been...six times that night.
Faith knew the one thing she'd desperately wanted more than anything was the one thing money couldn't buy. As she covered her abdomen with her hand and sighed happily, she couldn't believe that their baby was growing inside of her...finally. It was all she'd ever wanted...and Faith knew that if Bruce could've bought this for her...he'd have done so years ago.
Realizing that sleep wouldn't be coming anytime soon, Faith quietly moved out of their bed and grabbed a pair of sweats and one of Bruce's T-shirt's, pulling her hair back and headed downstairs to get something to eat. She was hungry...not having eaten much due to the nausea, but right now she was ravenous.
Alfred was currently at the Manor and didn't know she had returned so Faith made her way into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, pulling out a carton of eggs, milk and some vegetables...deciding on an omelette.
As she silently cut up the peppers and tomatoes, Faith couldn't help but grin at how much she actually enjoyed cooking. Alfred had spent many an afternoon showing her how to cook. Bruce had teased her mercilessly at first, but secretly she knew he adored the fact that Alfred had taken her under his wing.
Staring out the Penthouse window, Faith couldn't help but smile softly at how blessed her life had turned out. Sometimes she still had to pinch herself...just as a reminder that this wasn't a dream...that she really was Mrs. Bruce Wayne and pregnant with what she hoped was the first child of many.
As she pulled down a skillet and set it on the stove, her Slayer hearing picked up footsteps upstairs...and then a few minutes later she could hear Bruce walking down the hallway towards the kitchen.
The first omelette was just completed as her husband came into the kitchen...looking disheveled but achingly handsome as he ran a hand through his dark brown locks.
"Hey beautiful, something smells good."
Faith grinned as she looked over her shoulder. "Would you like one?"
Bruce nodded as he moved over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water, taking a long sip and seating himself on the barstool on the other side of the granite countertop.
"Did you get any sleep baby?"
"No...I just watched you sleep for a while, then decided I was hungry."
"Hmmm...you need to get your rest."
Faith smiled as she plated the second omelette and brought both plates over, setting one in front of her husband and one next to him before grabbing some utensils and napkins. "You want some juice?"
"No water's fine." Bruce then took a bite of the omelette and hummed in appreciation. "This is good wife. I've missed your cooking."
Faith giggled as she sat down next to her husband and started eating. "I'm no Alfred, but I was just thinking about how much better I've gotten with this whole cooking thing since we've been married. Three years ago you would've gotten cereal, maybe pop tarts to eat."
"I don't know about that baby...you did make some excellent pancakes from what I recall."
"And you still can't get your own coffee in the morning, pretty boy."
Bruce chuckled. "Guilty as charged. You like waiting on me though, don't deny it."
"Humph..." Faith groused, "I like giving you blow jobs...but that doesn't mean I enjoy sounding like your personal maid."
Bruce stuttered out a guffaw, before he leant over in belly laughter. After a few moments he just grinned widely at his wife. "I fucking love you."
"So you've said." Faith quipped.
"And I'll keep on saying it." Bruce admitted happily as he took another bite of his omelette.
"Good to know," Faith smiled, finishing another bite of her omelette before she continued, "How's the research with Dr. Pavel going? Is the schematic for the reactor done yet?"
"Mmmmhmmmm." Bruce nodded. "We are working on the patent as we speak, although it may be another couple months before all the paperwork is complete. Leonid thinks that the quantity of the metal within the chest is enough to make sixteen reactors. Each reactor has the capacity to power an entire city for at least 100 years if his calculations are correct."
"And the conversion to nuclear fission? Is that going to be a problem?"
Bruce smirked at his wife...her intelligence was disarming because she'd often chose to employ it discriminately...but it was sexy nonetheless.
"The reactors will be able to be shut down remotely by Wayne Enterprises should someone try and steal the reactor itself before implementation. Once inserted into the power grid, it will automatically deactivate and lock down should anyone remove it from the grid without the proper key sequence, which only myself and Lucius will be aware of."
"That sounds promising then." Faith admitted as she stood up and took her dishes over to the sink, rinsing them off and placing them into the dishwasher. "How will you go about distribution?"
Bruce stood up and followed suit, rinsing off his plate and placing it next to Faith's as she watched him with amusement dancing from her eyes. "Gotham will receive the first one as a test case. I've already discussed it with the Mayor and the city council...and they are in agreement. If it works as promised, I will entertain bidding capital from other cities."
"How much do you think each reactor is worth potentially?"
"Honestly?" Bruce queried, and Faith nodded. "A billion each isn't too conservative of an estimate...but my guess is that it will come down to cost allocation and reinvestment opportunities. If I can generate good will for Wayne Energy globally, then the profit for Wayne Enterprises will quadruple our bottom line."
Faith sat back and thought about this for a moment before she shook her head in wonder. "So Wayne Enterprises cash flow is somewhere in the nine billion dollar range currently, yes?"
Bruce nodded. "The overall valuation of the company is probably closer to twenty billion at this point."
"How much of the company's cash have you invested into this project?"
"About a third."
Faith's eyes widened comically. "That's a lot of money Bruce!"
"It is, but the investment will pay off in the long run...trust me beautiful."
"That's not even a question...of course I trust you."
Bruce wrapped his arms around his wife's body and pulled her flush with him as he leant done and gave her a heated kiss, which she responded to instantly. For a few moments they were lost in each other before Faith sighed and pulled back, taking Bruce's hand and leading him back to their bedroom.
Once they'd gotten back upstairs, clothes came off as Bruce situated his wife into his side...wrapping a possessive arm around her shoulders. Faith laid her head on Bruce's shoulder and started rubbing his chest with her hand. Both were quiet for some time before Faith spoke up.
"How's Alfred?"
Bruce smirked. "He's been missing you almost as much as I have. He's asked about you daily, I think it hurt him that you didn't check in with him either."
Faith nodded solemnly, as she buried her face into her husband's chest. "I have some serious atoning to do."
"Hmmmm...probably. But Alfred was more worried than anything...we both were beautiful. We didn't know how to help you. I think he will forgive you, once you tell him our happy news."
Faith's smile was radiant as she gazed up in wonder at her handsome husband. "It's the best news, isn't it?"
Bruce grinned and nodded before rolling his wife's body back underneath his. "It is...and you will have to be patient with me Faith. I'm going to be overprotective and more controlling than normal. I know you are more than capable of taking care of yourself and our child...but I can't change who I am...you know this about me."
Faith sighed softly before leaning up and placing a sweet kiss on her husband's lips. "I know, and it's okay...I love who you are...controlling jerk and all."
Bruce chuckled deeply before responding with that glint in his eye that had Faith squirming in need underneath him. "I think we need to catch up for lost time. I didn't get to indulge in you for a month wife...I don't expect we will be leaving this room for a few days at least."
"Then put that spectacular toy to use right now, husband...make me scream."
"Fuck I love you baby."
Bruce's mouth locked onto his wife's with unbridled passion and it didn't take long for him to fulfill his wife's demand...repeatedly.