Hartford, Springfield, Boston

1.

While Bruce is at the gas pump, Selina goes into the Food Mart.

It takes her only a few minutes to pick out the items she wants. A few bags of chips. A large bottle of water. Sunflower seeds. Skittles.

Selina scans the aisles for things she assumes Bruce would want, and it feels strangely domestic. She realizes how very little she knows about him, and is surprised to find she wants to learn. After ten minutes of unproductive searching, Selina chucks the most neutral, unflavored things within reach into the basket.

There is a small television behind the cash register. The clerk doesn't even notice she's there. He's too busy raising the volume. She sneaks a pack of gum into her pocket.

On the local news, a reporter is standing in the middle of the street. The camera is shaking and the reception is horrible. The network alternates between shots of the reporter and cellphone footage of the bomb's detonation over the bay. After a week it's still all anyone seems to talk about.

Then there's a picture of Bruce on the screen. The caption reads 'Prince of Gotham Among Deceased.'

The clerk gives Selina an odd look when he sees the huge grin on her face.

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2.

After several attempts, Bruce finally manages to fill the tank. He's proud of himself, and more than a little embarrassed to have only just figured out how to use the gas pump. He's glad Selina wasn't there to witness it.

Bruce can see her through the window of the store and wants to join her but decides against it. Best to keep human interactions to a minimum. He settles for watching her from a distance.

As he waits, Bruce takes in his surroundings. The streets are empty and it looks like it's about to rain. It's the happiest he's felt in a while. The more distance he puts between himself and Gotham, the lighter he feels.

He stands up straight when he sees Selina hurriedly walking towards him.

"If you're serious about that fresh start, I think we'll have to go farther than Connecticut," she says as she opens the passenger door for him. He makes a point of taking the bags from her before he enters the car.

She tells him about seeing him on the news as she starts up the engine. Her comment about the picture not doing him justice isn't necessary but he appreciates it. Before she pulls out of the station, Selina looks at him in a way that makes Bruce hazy. He blames it on the lack of sleep.

"Buckle up," she breathes. "I don't want to get pulled over." He does as he's told. It won't be the last time.

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3.

They check into a motel without incident. Selina assures him that the owners don't ask questions. She doesn't tell him how she knows that.

Their room is the sixth one on the second floor. Bruce ducks his head and hunches his back to appear less like himself. The hat's been a good idea so far, but Selina can't get over the ridiculousness of Batman in a baseball cap. When they enter the space, he loosens up and so does she.

Selina doesn't give a voice to the questions in her head. She wants to ask him why he came back to Gotham. Why he trusted her to help defeat Bane. Why he trusts her to get him out the country. Bruce appears perfectly capable of doing so on his own, but for whatever reason he decides he needs her. She doesn't look into it.

Selina's never been one to dwell on the past.

She walks past Bruce to get to the bathroom and slips the flash drive into his hand. "It works. Trust me," she says coyly.

"I do."

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4.

Bruce admits to her that he's never been to Springfield, and that he's surprised she has contacts here. Selina promises to get in touch with someone in the morning about their passports.

The Clean Slate is 78% done with a partial wiping of 'Bruce Wayne.' He only erases what he has to and leaves the rest to avoid suspicion. Selina moves the laptop to the side as she kneels behind him on the queen-sized bed.

Selina checks on the stab wound. Bruce sits patiently, shirtless and self-conscious. He wonders what she thinks about his scars; about years of danger and defeat. She doesn't ignore them. She moves her palm along his back, accepting them. Understanding him. Selina doesn't scare easily.

"Looks good," she whispers. "Very good." She brushes against his shoulder as she gets up.

"I had an excellent doctor."

She goes to the other side of the mattress and lies down. He wants to talk to her, ask her things like why she came back for him and why she's helping him now. But he doesn't.

He puts his shirt back on and takes off his shoes. Selina's eyes are closed and he considers sleeping on the floor but knows his body couldn't handle it. And he's certain she wouldn't stand for it. That he's certain about any aspect of Selina Kyle's behavior startles him.

Bruce has never slept with a woman before. Not in the literal sense. There's a first time for everything.

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5.

Selina's flight departs in 20 minutes. She has a place in Nice that should still be available. And she's always liked France.

They arrived at Logan International Airport two hours ago and Selina has enjoyed Bruce's company. But it's time to go.

Selina never thought their partnership would go beyond this. She catches herself wishing they had more time. "You'll miss your flight," he says. "Wouldn't want to keep people waiting."

"Oh, but I love to keep people waiting." She can't keep herself from sounding sad.

Before she leaves he gets a few steps closer. There's a softness in his eyes that makes her uncomfortable. He looks at her like she's already the person she wants to be.

"Will I ever see you again?"

It's like a tradition now: kissing Bruce Wayne every time they part ways. This time it's slower, lasts longer. Selina forces herself not to look back.

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6.

Bruce has a tendency of taking advice literally. When he thinks of where he'd like to go, Alfred's suggestion sticks out in his mind.

Coach isn't too crowded; just enough for him to go unnoticed. Everyone on board is either asleep or about to be, save for an elderly couple a few seats over who are speaking in Italian.

The plane is taking off when Bruce feels something in the pocket of his jeans. It's a piece of paper with an address on it. He doesn't read it immediately; instead he marvels at the handwriting. He can't figure out how she did it without him noticing. She's good. Bruce pictures a life with Selina Kyle and it excites him.

He'll definitely be seeing her again.

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* to the Guest who reviewed the first chapter: Bruce can't be 'Bruce Wayne' anymore. In the film, he let people believe he was dead for a reason. It's just his name that he's erasing. Whether he did that in the actual movie is made unclear, but he's definitely not owning up being the billionaire.

* Found this image that fits in with the first scene of section 1: i234 . photobucket albums/ee265/rubyblue42/tumblr_maxcetnl9Q1rh17p3o1_1280 . jpg

Thanks for all the feedback. Next section will most likely be the last.