A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my most favourite character in the DC universe – Catwoman. It's a pity her complexity is so underplayed in most DC media (save for Anne Hathaway's rendition of her who did delve a little into her feelings of conflict and of course the critically acclaimed Michelle Pfeiffer's rendition.) and I just hope Gotham too would allow Camren Bicondova's version of Selina Kyle to shine bright as she deserves to. You deserve all the happiness in the world baby Cat.

NOTE: There's a hint in this chapter of what the next drabble will be about. Can you guess? If this gets sufficient reviews, I'll post it soon!

Also, I dedicate this to the wonderful people who took the time to leave a review. Thank you so much for making my day and motivating me to write: CircleIntheSand, TiaLopez, shadychef & the 4 guest reviewers!

"Many felicitations Master Wayne, Mrs Wayne."

Alfred had a look of tender happiness. Bruce had thought his eyes had gone misty but a blink and they were gone. Bruce pulled away from Selina's side and went to hug him.

"Thank you, Alfred."

His thank you was a loaded one. It was gratitude for raising him, protecting him, and especially, pushing him to finally chase his happiness instead of Gotham's villains.

"Of course, Master Bruce."

Bruce didn't miss the slight choke in his voice.

"What are you thinking about?"

The soft voice brought him out of his thoughts and Bruce pressed his lips to her hair. "Go back to sleep, you need it." Selina yawned but rested her cheek over his chest, listening to the steady thumps of his heart. "I will, if you tell me what's got you awake."

"Alfred. I've never seen him tear up."

Selina could not help but smile. In part, Alfred was the reason she had the beautiful ring on her finger...and in some way, the reason why she's been feeling sick in the mornings. It was funny to think that many years ago, Alfred would have rather choked himself to death than let Bruce pursue her as a lover.

Overtime, he had come to see through her apparent materialism and her self-centered ways (which really, when he thought about it, was self-preservation) to one of an ally. She was his ward's most loyal friend. Both having put each other's lives on the line for the other. But by the time they had reached an age where Alfred thought it suited them to date, hoping a lover would ease him away from the dangerous lifestyle he was hurtling towards to. But it was too late.

Bruce's departure was as sudden as the day they had met on that fateful night. The night before, he had invited her to his home and made some cool, indifferent talk of having to go for a business trip. Selina had known that there was more to it than that. Things had been tense between them for a while as Bruce had bailed her out again a few days before; despite her protests that he should never do so. They had been very much emotionally raw and tense from the argument that always followed.

And then, she never heard from him for five years.

For a short amount of time, Selina hated him. She despised the manner he invaded her dreams. The way when she went on dates, she would compare them to him. As she grew into womanhood, Selina grew into an icy, caged heart. One that would have formed easily and quickly in her adolescence if her fate hadn't crossed with his. She found herself drawn to the women who ruled Gotham underworld and aspired to be like them. Eventually, she found herself eventually forgetting him.

Tabitha had taught her to use the whip. Barbara, before her untimely death, taught her seduction. Fish Mooney taught her to fight. Really fight. She took to both as a fish to water. Or a kitten to a feathery toy. With her existing abilities for stealth, coercion and invasion, she quickly built up her own reputation – independent, ruthless…but not quite evil.

But somehow, Bruce's wholehearted allegiance to the 'good' had left some sort of imprint on her. Since his departure, she found herself sparing lives. Not that she took much before nor did she intend to. But she knew that before, for the right price, she would have.

"Catwoman!"

The young women gasped as the lock of the crate fell off to the sound of an ear-splitting whip. With her heeled boot, she kicked the door open after yelling a warning.

"You saved us!"

The women looked to her as though she were a goddess as she tore apart the bindings on their arms and legs. Selina couldn't help but feel unsettled. Hearing the groan of the crooks she had taken out earlier, she snapped back to reality.

"Run."

She kept guard as the women scrambled out. Only minutes ago, they were coming to terms that they would be nothing but bodies sold to traffickers. Now, they were free.

Since then, she had gained a new reputation for herself. A small cult following formed, very nearly worshipping her as a heroine. The news agencies were flabbergasted. For months, they've reported her as the 'evil' cat burglar seducing and eventually robbing the rich. There was even a bounty on her head after she had stolen a certain precious family heirloom from one of the mafia leaders' wimpy sons. He wouldn't know how to appreciate his mother's diamonds like she did anyway.

In her entire life, where she spent mostly defending herself, surviving and enduring through all the hardships Gotham's underworld threw her way, Selina never imagined that there would come a point where she'd become a hero. And once more, not since meeting him, Selina found herself conflicted once more.

"Last night, it was reported that two masked men were found tied up together in the floor of the Bank of Gotham. Witnesses say a cloaked man in black with a peculiar mask had disarmed the men and engaged in brief combat before disappearing through the rooftops. The loot of the robbers has been left untouched leading to the GCPD speculating the work of a vigilante that has been sighted multiple times throughout Gotham's districts… "

"Huh."

Selina stroked the feline's back as she sipped her tea. She was curled up on her couch watching the news after yet another triumphant haul. This time, it was the unoccupied home of an old-money, aristocratic trust fund brat. It was part cute and part stupid of them to merely trust a safe and some guards for their family's precious jewels.

"What do you think Cleo? Do you think it's him?"

The cat only meowed back indignantly, more annoyed that her mistress had stopped petting her in favour of staring into the cumbersome and noisy light box. Selina sighed and moved her hand to scratch behind the kitty's ears. The purring made her smile, but her eyes could not help but deviate back to the screenshot of security cameras that had managed to capture a blurred glimpse of the caped crusader.

"Is it you, Bruce?"

Of course, reports of her own escapades won't reach the media till the buffoons she stole from even realized what went missing. Rookie robbers like the ones that got beat up by the mysterious new vigilante were idiots. You never go for something as obvious as a bank with just a potato sack and a gun. Their lack of foresight and naivety made Selina cringe, but it also made her eyes glint at the prospect of a challenge – and the possibility of meeting this new shadow in town.

"Well Cleo, looks like it's time to bring the suit out of the dryer."

Selina couldn't help but smile at the memory. Oh, it was a memorable night. It was much more sweet (and undoubtedly, the tension in the air was decidedly sexually charged the moment he handcuffed her) than their genuine first meeting in his home as children.

"Now, what are you thinking about?"

"Oh, how we first met."

Somehow, Bruce knew she wasn't thinking of the time he had first set his eyes on her. Though he remembered that moment clear as day. A smirk quipped his lips and he stroked her hair, his fingers scratching her scalp as though she was a kitty. Selina purred along playfully, genuinely enjoying his touch.

"Hmm? Of how I had to chase after you or what happened after…?"

The man's eyes narrowed as he quietly perched at the rooftop of the Bank. He was just here a few weeks ago and once again, some dunce decided to try their luck. The bank had since installed high security features – laser lights, extra cameras and sensors. Somehow, whoever had broken in hadn't triggered a single one of them.

He opened the rooftop entry way, and stole down to dangle from the ceiling, much like a bat, he hung effortlessly upside down, scanning the surroundings. From the corner of his eye, he spied movement. But as soon as he turned his gaze, the movement seemed to flick to the other end. Tensing, he reached for his batarang. He couldn't quite sense it, but it felt as though a presence was coming upon him.

"Hey stud."

He growled and lashed out but the lithe figure that dangled behind him. She flipped herself up effortlessly and looked down at him from the roof. She rested her hands on her hips and Bruce cursed at the sudden heat in his loins. She was dressed head to toe in leather – skin tight, sinuous leather that licked into every devious curve. Her hair was tucked away into a cap that seemed to have cat ears and somehow, he found that incredibly erotic. Her eyes were covered by goggles – ones that looked suspiciously familiar.

"I'd love to sit and chat, handsome. But cat's gotta run."

At some point, she had wrapped him in a thin, metal wire, immobilising his arms. He grunted and turned to glare at her. Her voice too, so familiar but it wasn't until he heard 'cat' did his head perk up. "Cat?" He thought he saw the mischievous glint of familiar eyes before he was subjected to a view of a wonderful derrière as she ran off. He growled once more, tensing his biceps and breaking free of the wire she had so deftly wrapped around him.

"Ooh. Strong. I like that."

She purred over her shoulder as he chased after her. She leapt effortlessly through the rooftops, feeling only the slight sense of stress when he managed to clear every single one without hesitation and seemed to be gaining in on her.

It was definitely him.

She smiled in resignation as a dead end loomed before her. The next building being way taller than the one she stood on for her to leap onto. Before she could turn to face him, she was tackled down. His hands gripping her wrists and forcing her down, his legs pressed down over hers and Selina gulped at the feeling of the strong, rock hard muscle tensing against her body. Dear lord, she had a type.

"Well. Aren't you a manly man." She purred up at him. He was masked but Selina knew who it was now. For sure.

"Listen baby. You wouldn't hurt a lady, would you?" She carefully loosened her leg from underneath his, trailing it up his thigh. She bit her lip as his muscles tensed, his grip on her wrists tightening. Selina knew she was kinky, but god, was she wrong by how much.

"You're a criminal. I do not care if you're a woman. Justice does not discriminate."

His gruff, throaty voice made her sigh in pleasure, but she had to roll her eyes at him for that. "Sure, honey. You tell yourself that." Naïve ideals. It was definitely him. She should tell him the number of times she had cajoled sleazy police officers into letting her go. She didn't even have to touch them.

"Now stud, this was fun. But I have a hungry kitty at home waiting for her mommy and I can't be late in cashing in on my loot. Talk soon, hm?"

She kneed him in the groin. Cheap shot, she knew. But it was necessary. Only, it seemed he had anticipated this. He didn't even flinch. His eyes were behind a mask, but Selina felt the intensity of his glare double. The suit on him was thicker than it looked. He tightened his grip on her wrists and raised them over her head while Selina desperately pushed away dirty thoughts. She may no longer live by the gutters, but her mind certainly wandered there more often than she'd like to admit. He brought both her wrists to one hand and Selina couldn't help but marvel at how huge his hands had gotten compared to hers.

"Cat-Selina, is that you?"

"I don't know who or what you are talking about, Kid."

"It is you."

She cringed at the nickname and turned her head away from him. He was quiet for several moments, as though unsure of what to do with her. She felt his hands rake over her body and she tensed. She never took him for one to take advantage of a woman, but she soon realized he wasn't groping her. He undid the ties of her bag and tugged it onto his belt.

"That's not yours, so I'll take that."

She threw him a glare and spread her fingers, activating her claws and digging into his palm. His gloves too, were thicker than they looked and it seemed like her diamond tipped talons could only leave light scratches.

"If I get off you, will you run away?"

"You've always asked stupid questions."

He growled and reached for his belt. He handcuffed her wrists and ankles (much to her secret delight) and pulled himself off her.

"I've been trying to get to you for weeks. Why didn't you respond to any of my messages?"

She kept quiet, intent on ignoring him. All of a sudden, the petty anger she held for him as a teen returned and she really, really didn't need her hormones inhibiting her judgement. She did get his messages. Every single one. Each more persuasive and urgent than the other. If he was so desperate to meet her again, he would have told her about how he was leaving Gotham. Not leave her wondering for years.

"I know we didn't end off well…"

"No shit Sherlock. If you're going to turn me over to the cops, just do it. Save your sappy bullshit for your groupies."

"Selina…"

"Watch it moron. Anyone could be hearing us. You don't hear me screaming your name do you?"

In truth, she hadn't meant to be so snappy. But she hated the way his gruff voice softened when he spoke to her. All remorseful and cajoling. It felt almost manipulative from the way her insides melted and she just wanted to crawl to his lap. Though she knew Bruce wouldn't do that to her. Not that he was even capable of that to begin with. She practically taught him the basics to it!

He was quiet for a bit but then knelt next to her, slowly tugging her up to sit upright. "You wouldn't have robbed that bank unless you wanted to see me." She caught a sliver of a teasing edge to his voice and Selina seethed.

Batman smirked and lifted her up in his arms. "Now, should I take you home or to prison?"

"…I don't care, honestly. Just hand me over to the cops."

She felt a secret sense of satisfaction as she felt him tense. It felt good to know that she had an influence over him, even if it was very small.

"Sel- Cat. Let's start over. I could use a partner...hey!"

Bruce didn't know at which point or how the handcuffs came off, but all he knew was that soft, pillowy lips pressed to his, disarming him momentarily while a smoke bomb was thrown. He growled and flung his cape to disperse the smoke, but by then, she had already disappeared. From a distance, Bruce heard a woman's startled yelp. Looks like the chase was on.

"You could barely keep up!"

"That's because you played dirty."

"I've never heard you complain about that before, Mr Wayne."

"…True."