{ Okay, so this one's a little shorter. I apologize. But hey, new chapter! Yay! }
Bruce awoke in a cold sweat; that was the third time this week the Joker had returned to haunt his nightmares. He still could not shake the feeling of utter horror when he was roused from said nightmares.
He turned his head to look at Selina. She was laying on her right side, facing him. Just as gorgeous as the day he met her. His hand brushed a strand of hair from her face, then traveled down her arm to her smooth midsection.
No baby.
Bruce returned his head to the cool pillow underneath it and closed his eyes before realizing sleep was out of the question. Why did these kinds of dreams make themselves present in his subconscious? Was it paranoia? Or maybe some kind of indication of what would come next in the former billionaire's life?
Or was it the caped crusader himself? The savior of the city he cares so much about? Was Batman tired of living a civilian life?
His thoughts were interrupted by a stinging in his throat. It wasn't until know until he noticed his mouth was an arid wasteland.
Bruce raised himself silently out of bed, careful not to wake his sleeping beauty. As he padded through the residential home he had come to know and love, his footsteps were nearly inaudible. Sometimes, he wondered what it was like to be loud and clunky.
Reaching his destination, he opened the refrigerator door and pulled a bottle of water from underneath some other miscellaneous food items. He mentally noted the need for a bigger fridge, relieving the drought inside him with the cool liquid.
When his mouth was adequately saturated, he screwed the top back on the bottle, and tossed it back in the food junk yard.
Upon the door swinging closed, two arms slipped around his waist from behind, accompanied by a sultry voice he knew all too well.
"I think you're losing your touch, Bruce."
He smiled and placed his hands over hers. Leaving bed without waking her was damn near impossible. She rested her head on his back, sighing contently. After a few minutes of this, a softer, more caring voice filled the air.
"More nightmares?"
Bruce's lips took a downward curve as his mind returned to the alley. To Joker.
"No."
He didn't enjoy lying to her, but having her unnecessarily worry wasn't something he particularly liked. He should've known she would see through it.
"What was it?"
He closed his eyes,"Selina, I don't think-"
"Bruce, please. Don't hide this from me," she pleaded, cutting him off.
The former billionaire sighed, unable to get out of this one.
"You were pregnant."
After this, there was a long silence. Bruce figured she was contemplating whether or not this was good or bad.
"You're right, that is scary," she laughed,"What else?"
"They took you, and wanted the baby," he stated, not wanting to mention Joker's name in fear of jinxing himself,"And I was torn between giving it to them, or letting you both die by their hand."
Selina pulled him closer. He reassuringly clasped her hands in his own.
"That's...awful," she said hesitantly.
After a while, Bruce spoke again.
"You think we're ever gonna make it back to bed? This floor is cold."
She chuckled and let go, and they both made their way back into the bedroom. He laid down first, and she followed soon after, draping her arm over his chest.
Of course, he didn't tell her about Joker. Nor could he. Had she known that it was he who was interfering with Bruce's sleeping pattern, she would have not taken it as well. They both knew how dangerous he was. If it had indeed been a telling of future events, something would have to be done swiftly to prevent such a thing from happening. But it wasn't. There was no way out for him. Arkham hadn't even been hit by Bane's new society. Or had it? Then, it hit Bruce like a sack of dead kittens. He remembered.
"Selina?," he whispered, testing if she was awake.
"Hmm?"
Thank God she was.
"We need a new refrigerator."
{ No baby? Egasp! But that's what this story was all about, right? Guess again! Originally it was, but eh...Why not mix it up a little? }