Welcome back all my bat/cat readers!

I was so glad to hear from all of you on the first chapter!

I wondered how many of you would still be carrying a torch for Bruce and Selina... you know how some fandoms fall apart when there is not much happening to keep the fires burning...

My flame still burns brightly in the Gotham night for these two lovers...

I was relieved to hear that all of you were sympathetic if not frustrated with Bruce and his fear of Selina returning to Gotham... He went through a lot with losing Rachel (or losing his idea of Rachel anyway) hopefully we can all bear with him while he figures things out with SK.

Mer- I am still kicking around the Monte Carlo night one shot... don't give up on me :)

Tinatin- thanks for the great review(s)! I am glad you are feeling the Selina/Blake dynamic I think they will be lots of fun to write together when/if she gets back to GC. I love them giving each other grief! Glad you picked up the story I enjoy reading your take on the characters.

Abelard- it will definitely need to be more than three chapters so you are gonna have to wait to get all that you want out of this story lol. I appreciate your need to get Selina back with Bruce where she belongs though!

Here is Chapter 2 for your enjoyment...

-Slingblade-

x

xx

xxxx

Bruce signed off on the last two contracts and shoved the completed documents into a red intra-company envelope. He glanced up as Fox entered his office. "Late night tonight Mr. Wayne?"

Bruce nodded, "When you have the opportunity to snare some of the most prime real estate in Gotham for penny's a square foot it makes it worthwhile to stay a little later."

Fox looked less than thrilled with the acquisition because he knew what was behind the opportunity, "Who was it this time?'"

"Donovan Marketing Group." Bruce gave him a weary look as he fastened the string holder around the tabs securing the documents.

Lucius shook his head, "That's a big name for the city to lose. If they don't relo the employees it will mean another hundred or so people out of jobs."

Bruce shook his head, "They are taking only the top executives. Merging marketing with legal at the hub in Detroit." Bruce shook his head, "Detroit." He said the city's name as if it carried a repugnant taste, " Apparently that is only other city in America where real estate and unemployment is still worse than in Gotham."

Lucius slipped his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose, "So the workers stay, and the jobs go. That doesn't exactly make things better, does it?"

Bruce shook his head as he slid the documents across the desk. "We can't do much more without spreading WE dangerously thin." He shook his head and drummed his fingertips on the desk. "Hell we have barely recovered financially from the pinch I put us in."

Fox sat down in the chair across from his employer, "I hardly think you can blame yourself for the actions of Talia and her trade scandal. That being said, Mr. Wayne I don't entirely disagree with your assessment of the shop's current financial situation." He folded his glasses and slipped them into the breast pocket of his navy suit jacket before resting his chin casually in the palm of his hand. "Although... I have always thought it might behoove us to have an innovative marketing and public relations team at our disposal. Lord knows with the things you have pulled in the past we could have used some people with a flair for spinning the media."

Bruce leaned back in his chair and smiled grimly at the ceiling, "I was just buying the building, Lucius. Are you suggesting to me that we keep the Donovan creative team on payroll?"

Fox's soft smile never faltered as he looked at Bruce, "I have asked you before Mr. Wayne to not to take me for a fool. I know exactly what you had in mind when you inked those contracts."

Bruce snorted a humorless laugh and rolled his head against the leather headrest to face his CEO, "Do you think me a fool Lucius?"

Fox's smile broadened, "At times. But, not today, not about this decision anyway." He watched Bruce's eyes fall to the framed photo of Selina that sat on his desktop and he couldn't help but shake his head.

Fox had taken the photo of her as she was standing against the railing at the restaurant atop the island of Corsicana. She was an absolute vision in that cream dress with the coffee-colored stripes snaking around her slender body. She had damn near knocked me dead when she had walked into Alfred's kitchen wearing it that morning. But there, with the ocean at her back and the breeze in her hair, she was positively breathtaking. Lucius had sat the framed photo on my desk with an unapologetic smirk the week I got back to Gotham. Before I could even protest he had told me he was acting under orders from Selina. She had told him set it where I would be forced to look at it all day everyday. He made it clear that it was her wish that I should suffer accordingly. Fox also warned me that the penalty of taking it down would result in my walls being papered with poster-sized reproductions.

Bruce sighed and then directed a benign scowl toward his CEO, understanding full well that Fox thought him an incredible fool over abandoning, Selina. "I never did thank you for that photograph, Lucius. Nothing quite like a reminder our little misadventure there on the island."

Fox took the jab in stride; "I suspect you might not mind too much remembering her in that dress though?" Bruce raised his brows at his insinuation and Fox just chuckled and lifted his hands in mock surrender. "Just an educated guess, Mr. Wayne. I could tell that you seem particularly fond of that..designer."

Bruce stood and gave the photo of Selina another long look as he shouldered on his dusky grey suit jacket over his wrinkled white shirt. He adjusted the sky blue silk tie snuggly around his throat, "Mr. Fox why don't you put that educated mind of yours to better use and figure out how to keep the hundred and sixty-four people from Donovan on payroll when neither of us knows jack about marketing."

Fox stood and stretched his back, "I will get right on that, Mr. Wayne."

X

Xx

Xxx

Bruce reached the parking garage and discovered with mild annoyance that Alfred had again arranged for him to be driven home by a backup driver. Today it was a thirty something blonde man that introduced himself as Geoff with a G. This was the fifth time in three weeks a backup had been utilized to drive him home. Bruce accepted the courtesy of the open door and sat back into the rear of the limousine. He huffed at the dark interior of the Cadillac, not caring for the ostentatiousness of the vehicle and not at all caring to be driven by anyone other than himself or Alfred.

He smirked to himself as he realized he had not minded too much when Selina took the wheel on occasion. It damn sure put me on the edge of my seat when she did. Then he did smile, but that quickly faded as the limo pulled abruptly away from the curb and Bruce had to catch himself to avoid colliding with the door. He frowned as he was left wondering exactly where Alfred had been spending his afternoons.

He slid out a portable laptop from the compartment beside his knee and settled back into the deep leather chair. A slight jolting as the driver braked to a quick stop renewed his irritation at Alfred's absence. Bruce linked into the computer servers in the Batcave and ran a trace on the GPS beacon in the Benz. A few seconds later the tracking icon blinked its location on the map. He reentered the vehicle id and again the small blue dot again appeared over Wayne Manor. He squinted down at the display and confirmed that he had not accidentally entered a drop point at the server center, the readout showed clearly that Alfred's position was currently at Wayne Manor.

Bruce considered for a moment telling Geoff with a G to drive him out there. He had not seen the property since his arrival back to Gotham and he was overdue a trip to his old homestead. Truthfully, he had not really had the time for sentimental social calls and furthermore had not wished to cause any disruption for the kids at the facility. He thought of Blake and a small smirk curved his lips. That would be all I need anyways, another street-smart kid marking me as the Batman.

He tried to imagine what would have drawn Alfred out to the Manor and he came up blank unless it was to tend to his parents gravesites or assist in some charitable capacity. Alfred had been shouldering all of my social responsibilities since my return. He had mentioned in passing that there was a function being held in a few weeks… something about a rededication of Tom and Martha's. Bruce shifted uncomfortably in the seat. Alfred knows I hate social events like that, but he had made it clear that there was no way out of it for me. He had been kind enough to reassure me that the guest list was very short and that the press would be not reporting the event. With the Joker still on the loose Gotham's socialites had been keeping low profiles lest they draw undo attention to themselves. I would be damned if I would make Tom and Martha's a target just for a function to honor me of all people.

Bruce shut his eyes and willed himself not to think of Selina on his arm dressed to the nines walking through the halls of his childhood home. That was a complete failure as a the memory of her in that microscopic gold dress leapt forward in his mind. Trying not to think of her was like trying to tell yourself not to think of elephants. Suddenly that was all that filled your brain. Elephants. African elephants… circus elephants… elephants in short damn designer dresses... freaking elephants everywhere.

He growled in annoyance and opened his eyes glaring down at the computer. He tapped the computer screen as he focused thoughtfully on the GPS marker for the car and then dropped his hand to the keys and entered a different tracking number. The map flashed and a satellite-linking icon appeared as the screen loaded. The GPS dot dropped down on the Pennyworth residence in Florence. Bruce pulled up the past weeks activity and a maze of green lines appeared as the tracking records for the pearls appeared on the monitor. He noted multiple trips to the farmers market, the university, travel to the canal and several local museums. There were extensive routes to various shops and cafes throughout Florence. Selina was evidently making the most of her time in Italy.

He frowned as his finger tapped the beacon, "I would love to be the one taking you those places. I promise Selina, I will make it up to you when this is all over." He picked up his phone suddenly overwhelmed with the need to hear her voice. He looked at the display and hesitated. It would be nearly one in the morning her time. It wouldn't be the first time either of us had reached out to the other with a desperation phone call.

She had called just last week while he was in the middle of a meeting with representatives from the pentagon discussing weapons contracts. His phone had rung and he had held up a finger and halted the presentation while he answered her call. He made no bones about where his priorities lay when he had answered his cell in front of the joint chief of staff with the greeting of, "Good evening darling." The men and women surrounding the table had shared mystified looks at the personal call; Fox had even raised an eyebrow as he watched Bruce for an indication on how they were to proceed.

Bruce could not have cared less what the reaction was to the interruption. Selina never called during meetings, she made it a point not to in fact. Alfred sent out three copies of his calendar after they finalized it in the mornings, one to Fox's assistant, one to Bruce's mobile and one to Selina Kyle. She was nothing if not respectful of his itinerary and his time. If she was calling, there was a reason for it. She had apologized immediately after he answered and even tried to let him go saying she knew that he was busy, that she had just needed to hear his voice. He had not been willing to leave it at that. He had looked over at Fox and received a nearly imperceptible nod before he stood and made his way out of the conference room.

Fox looked up at the young man giving the presentation and indicated that he should continue. He had hesitated for a moment and then asked if they shouldn't wait for Mr. Wayne to return. Fox just smiled and let him know that business of a more urgent nature had presented itself and that they would have to muddle through the remainder of the conference without Mr. Wayne.

Bruce ducked into an empty meeting room as he assured Selina that she had not interrupted anything of consequence. Sitting on a ledge under the windows, he loosened his tie and discarded his jacket, watching the sun dipping lower in the horizon he asked her to tell him what had her so unsettled. She reluctantly told him that she had just woken from a dream and that she couldn't let go of the feeling something had happened to him. He had spent the better part of an hour talking quietly with her. Leaning casually back against the window like a man who had nothing more in the world to do than talk to the woman he loved.

That was how Fox's assistant found him when he opened the door to set up the room for a staff meeting. He had quietly backed out and shut the door gently as not to disturb the owner of Wayne Enterprises. He then dutifully stationed himself outside the door and redirected the reporting executives to an alternate venue.

Bruce would not let her apologize for taking him away from work and he scolded her when she said she was embarrassed to have made such a womanly production over a dream. He told her that he loved her and that he missed her and they ended the call with her having promised him that she would call anytime she wanted regardless of his schedule. After they had finished, Bruce sat there for a long while more as he thought again about the decision to return to Gotham. At that moment he hated himself more for the choice he made then he had since he told her goodbye in Florence. He hated himself because he had heard the threads of fear in her voice and he had not been there to comfort her.

He looked down at his phone as the limousine crept along in traffic and he forced himself not to dial her number. He was not going to allow himself to wake her just to appease himself. Fuck I deserve to feel this way. I made this choice for us. Bruce held the phone tighter and tried to settle his nerves. The driver accelerated too quickly from a stoplight and Bruce was pressed back into the cushions of the plush leather seat. He glowered toward the front of the vehicle as his mood slipped even darker. Then he did use the phone. He punched the contact number for Alfred Pennyworth.

X

Blake didn't look a gift horse in the mouth when Bruce breezed in the penthouse and informed him that he had the night off. Blake had nearly fell to his knees and kissed Wayne's gleaming leather wingtips grateful for a reprieve from the exhaustive training. Instead of genuflection though, he had just stood there in shock, unsure of exactly what to do with his unexpected freedom.

Ace had no such hesitation in his actions; the dog jogged happily up to Bruce, his nails clicking lightly against the scraped wood floor. He accepted a gruff greeting from Wayne that included a ruffle of the hair on it's neck and a quiet request for a security report on the status of the penthouse. The dog sat and gave a short sharp bark to which Bruce grunted in apparent approval before patting the dog's smooth head. Ace squinted his eyes shut and a look best described as bliss adorned it's scared face at the small gesture of affection from the master of the house.

Bruce looked up and fired a question at Blake, "Where is, Alfred?"

Blake looked blankly back at him as if it never occurred to him to wonder anything about Alfred's comings and goings. He stammered out an, "I don't know," which seemed to escalate Bruce's annoyance exponentially. So much so, that he reached for his phone presumably to call for the eta of his wayward butler.

Alfred entered the penthouse right as his mobile began to ring. Bruce looked up, and then peered down at his watch as if more notice needed to be made of Alfred's late arrival, "What exactly am I paying you for today, Alfred? It certainly wasn't for chauffeuring me home."

Alfred snorted at the attempted rebuke and continued into the kitchen, the smell of food wafted from the bags he carried along with him. "Presently you are compensating me for providing your dinner and tolerating your deplorable company, Master Wayne."

Blake bit back a laugh and turned his interest from the employee/employer drama to the more exciting prospect of food. Bruce looked at him like he had slipped a link in his mental drive chain when he made to follow them into the kitchen. Blake hesitated, watching Bruce's face for a clue on how he should proceed. Bruce gave him an incredulous look, "Your one night off and you are going to spend it here eating takeout?"

Blake shrugged as he walked in after Bruce, "What else would I do?"

Alfred looked up from the counter where he sat the bags, "Perhaps Master Wayne expects you to panhandle on the street and then go buy your own Moo Shoo pork?"

Blake stilled, his spine straightening as he watched for Bruce's reaction. Wayne looked between Alfred and him and then back to Alfred again before his found his voice, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"That means Master Wayne that while you are doing your best to save Gothamites from financial ruin and homelessness you are in fact driving your young pupil straight to that very demise. So unless you intend to put master Blake on the Wayne Enterprise payroll soon you should well expect that he will be taking all of his meals with us or chance him not being able to eat at all."

Bruce exhaled hard, his anger further exacerbated by Alfred's accusation of neglect. Blake could tell it had never occurred to the über rich mogul that he had not been working and therefore had not been earning wages. Independent wealth was likely to blind a man to incidental details like forty-hour work weeks and minimum wage rates. The expression on Wayne's face made it clear that he was both irritated and embarrassed to have left him in a financial bind.

Blake was momentarily upset with Alfred for calling Bruce out the way he had. Wayne obviously cared about people. You could take one look and see everything he had done to pull Gotham out of the crapper since he had been back and know that. If that wasn't enough, one need only to go ask the miners digging this very minute below Gotham and ask their opinion of him. Bruce Wayne was practically a deity as far as they were concerned. Knowing all of that about Bruce, Blake was quick to come to his defense. "Hey, look its no big thing. I –"

Wayne held up his hand and cut him off. "I'm sorry, Blake. That shouldn't have gotten by me." His voice was quiet and hard as iron. Blake could tell that through the calm façade that Bruce was monumentally pissed. He chanced a glance over at Alfred and noticed that the old Butler seemed upset as well.

Alfred paused as he was unloading the food, "I too owe you an apology, Master Blake. When one becomes accustomed to a life of privilege as we have you forget sometimes the struggles of others. Luckily for you, Ms. Kyle has a fresher memory of such things." Blake and Bruce both looked at Alfred then. His blue eyes dropped to the bags and he finished unpacking the containers of Chinese food; lifting the last three out individually by the wire hangers before wiping his hand on a cloth and reaching into his jacket pocket. He produced an open envelope with an international postmark and handed it to Blake.

Blake looked inside and found a check that had been issued by Wayne Enterprises to Selina endorsed over to him. A small note to Alfred accompanied it. Blake read it silently.

-Alfred

This arrived for me. I assume it is compensation for the position Bruce and Fox had spoken to me about as the director of the security division at WE. Well as we can all see- that is a capacity in which I am not currently serving. I do however believe that since Robin has managed to stay alive up to this point in his training he has likely done enough to warrant a paycheck for his efforts.

Make sure he takes it Alfred. The kid is rolling near a negative balance in his accounts and his charge card is maxed. Oh and Alfred… see that Wayne pulls his head out of his ass and takes care of his protégé better in the future would ya?

Hope you are doing well, Sir Alfred. I miss you.

Love

SK

p.s.

Sig and I are having lunch at your café. The staff says to tell you Buon giorno!

Behind the note was a detailed drawing of Sigmund with several smiling men who Blake deduced were waiters at the café. They were standing in front of a stone terrace holding up wine bottles and glasses. He could see the faint outlines of a bridge behind them. Alfred stepped around the counter and took the picture from his hand, "If you don't mind master, Blake I should like to hold on to this."

Blake nodded and made to pocket the other items before Wayne caught a look at the contents. Unfortunately, the man in question was already pulling said items from his grasp. His green eyes flicked over the uncashed check and then bore a veritable hole into the paper as he read her note. Bruce glared wordlessly over at Alfred when he finished.

Alfred handed Blake a wooden serving tray that held five of the white cartons along with several bottles of water, a blue PowerAde and silverware. Blake accepted it and looked at Alfred questioningly. The fact Alfred had brought home take out and then served it still in the containers was beyond out of character for the proper butler. Bruce giving me the night off was also unheard of... this entire evening is mystifying my mind...

Alfred patted him on the shoulder, "I'm beyond fatigued tonight, Master Blake. I'm afraid you are going to have to rough things out for yourself a bit." Alfred pulled the payroll check from Wayne's hand and dropped it on the tray between the food cartons before giving Blake a weary smile, "Bon Appétit, Master Blake."

Blake nodded in silence and took the tray moving quickly to get clear of the blast radius, as Bruce looked ready to go thermonuclear at any moment. He almost made it to the door of the kitchen before Bruce's voice reached him. "You will have a WE bank card and payroll account set up by morning. Any outstanding balances on your credit will be settled and cleared by the end of the business day. Let me know if you want to keep your Mustang or upgrade into something else."

Blake froze at the door not knowing if he should answer now or just utilize his new Ninjutsu skills and try to disappear into the wall, "I uh think I will just keep the 'stang. It's almost paid for anyways."

Bruce continued to face Alfred as he spoke, "As of now, its paid for."

Blake swallowed and then followed his original instinct and disappeared, leaving Alfred to deal with the surly master of the house. As he sat down in front of the TV to eat, he took a closer look at the check and all of the zeros before the decimal point and nearly choked on his orange chicken.

He heard the muffled arguing between Bruce and Alfred in the kitchen and looked down at the dog by his side, "Ace buddy, I don't know what Alfred's check looks like but it should be double this just for his ability to handle Bruce." Blake turned up the volume on the television and tried not to feel guilty about abandoning poor Alfred. The dog looked at the door of the kitchen and whined. Blake shook his head, "I would keep my nose out of it, pup. That is above our pay grade."

Bruce and Alfred stared at one another both obviously annoyed and exhausted. Alfred opened the remaining containers of food and sat them unceremoniously on the counter between them. His only attempt at redeeming the meal from its origins as takeout was to provide folded cloth linens and actual metallic forks in lieu of the paper napkins and plastic picnic ware that were included. "Consider this a buffet, Master Wayne. I am officially taking the evening off."

Alfred turned and walked to the wine rack where he selected a semi sweet Riesling Sauvignon Blanc to accompany the Asian fare. Bruce's hand stopped his before he could gather the corkscrew out of the utensil caddie. Alfred inclined his head and Bruce silently took the tool and opened the wine as Alfred gathered a single glass, wiping clean the crystal goblet with a cloth.

Bruce poured as Alfred took a seat on a stool at the counter, helping himself to one of the food containers. He acquiesced when Bruce sat the glass lightly down in front of him, "You will have to forgive my tardiness and the quality of your evening meal tonight, Bruce. Time got away from me this afternoon I'm afraid."

Bruce sat down next to his butler silently taking up one of the take out cartons of Chinese food. He glanced at the red dragon emblazoned on the side and his brow furrowed as he recognized it as a Japanese rendering with the three toes and slender snakelike body instead of the full-bodied five-toed dragons indicative of Chinese lore. He shook his head at the amateur oversight of the restaurant, hoping their attempt at replicating Chinese food was better than their apparent knowledge of oriental art. Fortunately for he and Alfred from the taste of the Szechuan beef it seemed excellent by Americanized standards.

They ate in silence until Bruce finally spoke, "When I called earlier you said you were out at, Tom and Martha's?" Bruce forced himself not to look at Alfred as he waited for his response.

"Yes, I was."

Alfred offered no more than that so Bruce turned and fixed him with his calm knowing eyes, "Is there something you need to tell me, Alfred?"

Alfred met his gaze with a small smile, "You know then."

Bruce had done some more digging on the GPS records after their terse, unproductive conversation on the phone and found that Alfred had been out to the Manor nearly every day since their return to the states. He spent his entire afternoon there most days in fact. A quick search on public records showed no fewer than four separate building permits issued at that address to various contractors employed by Ginger Fox construction.

Knowing all of this Bruce was still forced to shake his head at Alfred's assumption that he knew what was going on. Bruce studied the contents of the food carton in his hand rather than meet his butlers gaze, "I know you have been spending an inordinate amount of time at Tom and Martha's. I know that Fox has contractors working out there. Multiple crews of them. What I don't know, Alfred... is why."

The old butler shook his head and a smile played around his lips, "Truly I never would have believed that it would have taken you this long to uncover our little ruse. Your mind has most assuredly been elsewhere, Master Wayne."

Bruce sat the food container back on the dark granite countertop and fixed Alfred with a tired look that said he really was not going to tolerate being kept in the dark much longer. "I assure you it is nothing that warrants such a look of apprehension and dread from you, Master Bruce." Alfred nudged an untouched container toward him, "Kung Pao beef with extra peppers. Eat, while it is still warm."

Bruce glanced down at the container of spiced meat and took it reluctantly, "What should I have figured out by now, Alfred? Besides the fact that I've been unintentionally bankrupting John Blake."

Alfred smiled into his wine glass before taking a sip, "It appears that commissioner Gordon and the officials of Gotham have in their minds to show their gratitude for your tireless support of the city. They intend to turn the keys to Wayne manor back over to you, Bruce. I was out today making the final decisions on the placement of furnishings and art." Alfred sipped his wine as Bruce processed the information and then he added as an afterthought, "You will have to forgive the obvious Italian influences of the new decor, Master Wayne. Due to my inability to fully recover your old furnishings a large number of items had to be replaced. Most of those were procured by the missus and flown in directly from Italy. By default a distinctly Mediterranean feel was largely… unavoidable."

Bruce had stopped chewing as he listened in shocked disbelief. Alfred gave him a guarded look, "Before you get your kickers twisted over this, Bruce... know that Jim intended this as a thank you for what you have done both as a leader in Gotham and as the Batman. I should hope you will act both gracious and honored when he returns the Wayne estate back to you in a few weeks." Alfred took a bite of Lo Mein in an effort to stop his mouth from finishing the thought which included the fact that he was revealing the surprise early because he believed that Bruce would have been neither of these had he been caught off guard by the commissioner's well intended kindness.

Bruce finally swallowed the food in his mouth, "I suppose I am to act surprised as well?" He sat the food container on the counter and stood, walking stiffly around the island bar to the refrigerator where he located a pitcher of iced tea.

Alfred's voice followed him, "Not necessary on your part I assure you. Jim never believed we would get to the dedication without you having discovered his plans. He had given me carte blanche on when and how to bring you to terms with things. His only request was that I do so in a manner that, I quote would leave him with as much ass as possible after you were informed."

Bruce barked out a laugh as he gathered a glass and poured unsweetened tea over ice. He hesitated as he lifted the glass to his lips, "What about the kids?"

Alfred smiled never having doubted that Bruce's mind would go immediately to their need. "They are to be housed permanently at the dormitories of the old Catholic University near St Swithins. Bruce's unhappy grimace at the mention of the abandoned university spurred on Alfred's quick explanation. "The rooms being utilized now have already been refurbished and restored to the highest of standards, I assure you. I toured them myself before the first child was relocated. The remaining forty-five units in the boys dormitory are under construction presently."

Bruce looked at Alfred closely, "You have been working on this since we got back." Bruce stated it obviously in awe of the elder man.

Alfred shook his head, "Since well before we left for Switzerland in fact, Master Wayne. Mr. Gordon called me the day after Christmas with the idea. It has been quite the little side project the past few months I assure you." He offered up the last remnants of broccoli beef and when Bruce declined Alfred dipped in his fork and speared a floret, "It would have been quite an impossible feat without help from the Missus and Mr. Geller respectively. They are quite a formidable combination when it comes to color and decor, but one should expect that from artists I suppose."

Bruce's eyes softened as he realized the extent to which they all must have all gone to work this out. Alfred, Gordon, and Fox coordinating on this end, Selina and Sigmund contributing all the way from Italy. He dropped his head and sipped the amber liquid, "How does it look?"

Alfred shook his head and twirled the delicate wine stem between his fingertips, " The remodel has exceeded all expectations. The manor is as stately and grand as she ever was, Master Wayne. But it has warmth now...a character and functionality it didn't have after we rebuilt her." Bruce did not miss the emotion in his butler's blue eyes, "For the first time since your mother's passing, Wayne manor feels alive again."

Bruce shut his eyes, "Thank you for preparing me, Alfred. I might not have handled it well otherwise." Bruce leaned on the counter as he spoke still trying to wrap his mind around the entire thing. It was beyond him how Jim Gordon had pulled this off. He had never even fathomed a scenario that would have brought it back to his possession.

His brows furrowed. With the city in such a financial bind, how had Gordon managed to secure a building the size of St Margaret's for the kids? Even abandoned the land alone was worth a fortune. The old architecture of the buildings were all that had saved it from demolition as the preservation societies had been embroiled against adventure capitalists to stave off commercial development that threatened the future of the historic buildings.

Bruce asked Alfred about the status of the dorms trying to ascertain how he might be able to assist with the new facility. Alfred admitted that he was not aware of all of the details just that the land had been donated by the city and the dorms were the first structure to be remodeled from privately donated funds. Bruce caught the word usage, "The first? Implying what? Other buildings on site are to be renovated as well?"

Alfred nodded, "Oh yes, Mr. Wayne. The entire complex in fact. It seems whatever private funding they received was enough to revitalize the dormitories, and then Federal funds were obtained. The campus is small, as you well know, but the proposed refurbishment will have it back to all of its former glory. Well within the restoration guidelines of the historical society as well, not that anyone is organized in the city enough to care about such things at this particular juncture. Eventually it will matter that the original architecture of the buildings were salvaged; with the destruction of the church on Piedmont Street, St Margaret's is now the oldest structure left in Gotham city."

Bruce looked questioningly at Alfred, "What do they intend to do with the campus?"

Alfred smiled, "Per federal directives, funds are to be used to turn it into a Collegiate Preparatory school and Vocational Technical College. Restorations on the library and women's dormitories are already well underway." He gave Bruce an understanding look, "It is not at all surprising that the construction failed to capture your attention sooner, Master Wayne. With the entire city under some form of reconstruction or repair this project is fairly insignificant in the grand scheme of Gotham's recovery."

Bruce smirked, " I suppose it helped me not to notice the work being done when you stopped talking Bridgeport parkway past it on our commute to the office in the mornings?"

Alfred chuckled at having been called out on his deception, "That too, sir."

x

Bruce checked the luminescent dial on his watch and calculated the time difference to Florence. She should be waking for her run about now. He pulled his phone out from under his pillow and smiled as the display lit: Incoming call: Selina Kyle The caller id picture was one he had taken of her sleeping on his chest as they lay together on a chaise lounge on Alfred's balcony. His finger traced the sharp line of her chin. She was too thin. I hope she is eating right. Without Alfred there, force-feeding her there was no telling.

He flicked his thumb and picked up the call. He heard the line connect and wasn't surprised when she didn't speak, she often didn't. They both sat in silence as the endless distance between was bridged for a moment by Wayne Satellite Technology. It was not a battle of wills that kept them from speaking; it was that just that they didn't need to. Bruce shook his head as he realized again, how in tune she was with him, "I can't stop thinking of you Selina." His voice was a raspy whisper.

There was a long pause before she responded, "Is that good or bad?"

Bruce rubbed his brow as he laid back on the bed, "Both I guess. Looking at that damn picture of you on my desk is torture." Her low laugh stirred butterflies in his stomach and he tried not to be angry at how helpless he was to control himself when it came to her. "It seems every time I turned around today your name was in my ear."

Selina asked the question again more tentatively, "Hummm..That good or bad?"

Bruce shook his head and smiled, "Both." His smile faded as he felt her apprehension, "You could have just texted me about Blake, Selina. There wasn't a need to make it sting."

"Yeah well seeing that paycheck stung me, Bruce." Her words carried her anger. "Especially knowing I had done less than nothing to earn it as I serve my exile here in Italy."

He shut his eyes and absorbed the cut from her sharp tongue. He recovered himself and tried to lighten the mood between them. "You might have wished you kept that check, I hear you and Sigmund have been on quite the shopping spree outfitting our house."

Selina chuckled, "Cat's out of the bag on that finally, huh? Well, not to worry, Bruce. I've still got a few bucks tucked away for a rainy day. I haven't had to dip into the Wayne trust fund just yet."

Bruce felt himself bristle slightly at that. He wasn't sure if it was because she basically told him stolen money was outfitting their house or because she made a point of not using his money. His eyes slid open and he studied the fan spinning slowly around on the ceiling above him. "Jessica's ill-gotten gains still tiding you over are they?"

Selina chuckled, "Something like that."

Bruce refused to allow himself to be baited into an argument with her. "Despite how you are funding it, I like the idea of you picking the things that are going into our home, Selina."

She was quiet on the other end of the line, "You do? Well Sigmund actually deserves most of the credit. He has completely lived up to the stereotypical role of a gay decorator. I turn him loose with a line of credit and all I have to do is drink wine and reel him in when he gets too far out of bounds." Bruce's smile faltered with her next sentence, "You will have to tell me how it all came together when you tour it at the dedication."

Bruce realized then that he would be attending the ceremony without her. He would be walking through a house she had decorated... that was supposed to be theirs... without her at his side. His voice hardened as he locked down on the emotion. This was no time to lose my focus, "There's still no sign of him, Selina. No sightings." The implication was there, It still isn't safe for you here, Selina.

Another long pause on her end, "You should tell Gordon to get someone down to the Bowery. There is a lot of information to be had if he has the right person in there. The Joker will be needing personnel and weapons. Crown Point could be where he goes to make some contacts. Someone there might have a line on him."

Bruce tried not to let his voice waver, "I used to know a woman that could waltz right into a place like that and come out with all the answers." He shut his eyes as he imagined her doing just that.

Selina volleyed back, "I know that chick. A natural badass broad if I am remembering her right. Let me know if you wise up and decide to admit you need her help."

The invitation was there all I have to do is tell her to come and she would be here. She was pretty pissed though; she would probably make me beg. Bruce sighed and lay back against the pillows of his bed, his hand rearranged himself as his body was making him painfully aware of exactly how much it too was missing Ms. Selina Kyle.

Selina's voice was a low whisper when she finally broke the silence; "You fall asleep on me, Boy Scout?"

Bruce sighed as he imagined her hands in his hair and shook his head. Goose bumps rose on his skin and he shivered at the thought of her touch. "No kitten, I'm not sleeping. I haven't been sleeping much at all lately."

Her disapproval was obvious as she clucked her tongue and growled low in her throat, "Alfred told me that when I talked with him last. What am I going to do with you handsome?"

Bruce slipped his hand into his sweat pants and gave into the aching need. "Tell me kitten what would you do with me?"

She chuckled knowingly and practically purred in to the receiver, "Well I damn sure wouldn't let you touch yourself like you are doing right now that's for sure."

Bruce smiled and his low laugh mingled with hers. "You aren't here to stop me darling. Besides… this is all I have. Just your voice and my hand." The afore-mentioned hand stroked him now as he listened to her breath quicken. He pulled himself over the elastic waistband of his fleece joggers and shut his eyes imagining himself inside her as he listened to her voice.

"Believe me handsome you wouldn't want your hand in the way tonight. I can still remember how good you taste… how you felt against my lips… like soft velvet over rock hard steel." Bruce groaned as his hand increased the speed and pressure as he pursued his release.

Selina talked and teased him until he was panting into the receiver. She had asked him to wait twice already telling him to slow down and control himself, that she deserved him to wait until she said he could finish. Jesus if it hadn't been the sexiest thing ever when she denied him … when she made him wait.

Now she did have him begging her. She promised that he could finish if he told her what he was thinking of to bring himself off, "Tell me Bruce. What is it?"

He gasped as he felt himself drawing up, his orgasm was imminent, " You…. you laid over the Tumbler in applied sciences. Jesus, Selina." His voice barely able to grind out the words, " You in that leather skirt bent over for me. Legs spread … me taking you hard over the hood. God I dream about it at night… your white skin against the dark metal. Its too much. Selina, let me baby. I need to..."

"Almost … almost," she panted back as he struggled to hold on.

Fuck this was all my fault. I deserve this... to be strung out like this… for choosing to leave her. Sweat was beading on his skin as he pressed back against the pillows, "Please, Selina. Please." He heard her soft gasp and he recognized the sound immediately. She was coming. Goddamnit … oh sweet baby. She had been touching herself while she was getting me off. His stomach clinched painfully, "Now Selina. I've got to…now… now."

"Then go ahead, handsome. Come for me."

He did immediately. The force of his orgasm was so strong it was nearly painful. He had not experienced such a desperate climax since their first night together. Her soft laugh taunted him through the phone as his body contracted repeatedly, "I should have made you wait for me to have another. One with you is never enough."

Bruce panted as he listened to her voice, the space around him melted until it was only the two of them. The connection with her obliterated the miles between them and all the nonsense external to their relationship seemed incidental. He thought of their little game in applied sciences and smiled. Jesus she was a witch. That was the only explanation. She was a witch and she had me completely spellbound and powerless against her. His hands shook as he toweled himself clean, "Tell me what you were thinking of, Selina."

Her voice was low and sensual when she spoke, "Monte Carlo. Bruce…it keeps me up nights just thinking about it."

He exhaled and his hands clutched the soiled towel. Come to Gotham. I want you here with me. I need you here. I should have never let my fear get in the way of what we have. I need you in my life… in my bed. All of the words died on his lips and he exhaled a frustrated breath.

Selina sighed, "I miss you, Bruce."

Bruce groaned, "I miss you too Selina, more than you know."

"Bruce this is ridiculous. There is no telling how long he will be underground. Are we going to just let him keep us apart indefinitely?"

Bruce felt his shoulders sag and his head dropped back against the headboard that supported him, "Not indefinitely, Selina."

"With the pillow next to me empty night after night it feels pretty indefinite, Bruce."

Her voice held annoyance, but not sadness and he was grateful for that. As he stared up at the ceiling and his body wound down from it's climax he thought more about the nights without her and suddenly their separation felt all to indefinite to him as well. "Please be patient with me, Selina."

She growled into the phone, "Awhile more Wayne. But, I'm telling you now... don't be surprised when I show up naked in your bed some night very soon. I've about had all of this separation I can stand. Joker be damned."

x

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Selina is getting antsy and I don't blame her... Are any of you hating Blake any less yet?

I am liking the Blake/Bruce /Alfred connection more than I ever thought I would... KLCthe bookworm... Blake finally got paid ! I think you me and Selina were the only ones worried about him making ends meet!

What about stately Wayne manor getting returned to Bruce... Gordon found a way to give back to the man that has given everything to the city. Are you feeling it? Do you think Meghan will think it is a house worthy of Selina?

Haha...

Review and let me hear from ya!

-Slingblade-