Alexandra walked around the supermarket pushing her cart around, she had slowly filled it with things she thought that they might like, while she shopped Bruce's weird but oddly endearing attitude came to mind. He was like a hurricane, hard to decipher but Alexandra knew that underneath all the dark brooding looks and the bat of Gotham laid a heart of gold, she could see that with every action he did. Even though she hadn't realized it yet Alexandra was slowly falling for the prince of Gotham, it was a slow process, but eventually she was going to realize it.
The hair salon had been suggested by Alfred and Alexandra found that they did a very nice job with her hair, she had trimmed her ends only as she loved her length, the hairstylist had recommended products for her care and she bought them without second thought with her hair she spared no expenses.
That night also was the first time in almost six months that she had her run up with the infamous Bat of Gotham. She had stayed outside late, she had been distracted window shopping at the mall and her car had been parked a few blocks away, her cellphone had died a few hours ago and she was walking towards her car when she was ambushed by some thugs.
"What do we have here" said one of them reeking of alcohol and dirt, it took Alexandra all her might not to look scared in front of them "A pretty thing, isn't she" the other agreed.
"We will have such a good time tonight, wont be sweetheart?" Said another one grabbing a lock of her hair.
"Stand back" she said through gritted teeth, they laughed at her, one of them coming extremely close to her face.
"What are you gonna do princess" he said, Alexandra felt his horrid breath, the thug held her by her waist and tried to kiss her, immediately she delivered a kick to his crotch. The thug fell to the ground in pain, but another one grabbed her and slapped her across the face she could feel blood in her mouth.
"Make the whore suffer" managed to say the man from the floor, the man that had slapped her shook her forcefully ripping her blouse in the process, her eyes widened as she face what she thought would be her end as one of the thugs had unsheathed a knife, she closed her eyes praying, in the blink of an eye the hold on her had disappeared and she opened her eyes, the thugs that had been about to rape her were now on the floor unconscious and the bat was standing in front of her. In that moment she realize that she was trembling and allowed her tears to fall, the bat took of his cape and covered her with it seeing as her blouse had been ripped off.
"Drive home" was the only thing he said to her, his voice distortion by the suit, she nodded as she ran to her car, he stood vigil as she got in and sped through the night.
Bruce watched as Alexandra sped away in her car, he waited until he heard police sirens in the distance, he picked up the ripped blouse and walked away from the scene, the tumbler was parked nearby, he got in and drove home, the city could do without him for a night, right now he had someone to care for. When he got home he walked straight into the garage without bothering with the suit, he just took the cowl off, Alfred looked at Bruce as he waited impatiently.
"You're back early, where is the cape?" Asked Alfred joining Bruce in the garage.
"Alexandra has it, she should be back by now" he said through gritted teeth.
"And why pray tell does she has it?" Alfred was raising an eyebrow.
"She was about to be raped by some thugs, fortunately I was patrolling near" Bruce explained, Alfred tensed, five minutes later Alexandra drove into the porch, Bruce immediately walked to her car and opened the passenger door helping her out and pulling her into his arms as he did so. She crumbled as soon as she found herself in his arms, Bruce's tight hold on her was the only thing keeping her from falling to the floor, small sobs escaped her, he picked her up and walked into the house leaving Alfred to lock the car and put whatever she had bought out.
Bruce sat with her on the couch, she was holding on to him, he started rubbing circles on her back trying to calm her, his cape was still tightly wrapped around her, Alfred joined them a few minutes later.
"Its okay" Bruce murmured "You're home, you're safe" her sobbing had more or less stopped by now, Bruce softly cupped her face with one hand "Look at me" he said softly, her eyes found his and they were red and puffy, and her face had a nasty bruise, there was also dried blood on the side of her face, Bruce felt rage, in that moment he realized that he should've kill the thugs. "You're okay now," he repeated wiping away her tears with his thumb.
Bruce looked up to see Alfred holding a tray with two mugs, Bruce grabbed both mugs and handed one to Alexandra, she took a tentative sip not breaking eye contact with him. Bruce took a sip too realizing that Alfred had served them hot chocolate with the lightest hint of rum. They drank in silence, Alexandra comfortably sitting on Bruce's lap. They stayed there in silence until Alexandra fell asleep; Bruce then carried her to her room and deposited her in her bed carefully not to wake her up. He then joined Alfred in the living room.
"She will be okay," said Alfred, Bruce looked at him and sighed.
"I hope so"
"She is strong Master Wayne, this will be but a bump in the road, you know that the world is changing, her very existence here is proof of that" explained Alfred wisely; Bruce nodded.
"I just don't want her to become another Jason" Bruce said softly adopting a far off look on his face, Alfred's eyes softened for a moment.
"She won't, she's not outside catching criminals like you are this was just a casualty, we don't let her go out alone again, if you want to we can get her a bodyguard" said Alfred, Bruce looked at him, an eyebrow raised.
"She wouldn't like that, a bodyguard, she likes her independence very much and she's not outside yet, I have a feeling that she will soon go out, maybe this will delay it a bit but eventually she will" he said, Alfred looked confused for a moment.
"Why would she do it?" Asked Alfred, Bruce shrugged.
"Women like that don't just appear to live a domestic life, there is something about her an untapped energy, you can't feel it?" Alfred looked contemplative at Bruce's words.
"Sometimes there is the smallest glimpse but it goes away as soon as its there, it makes one wonder" Bruce nodded.
"What would it take to break the block," said Bruce in a whisper, Alfred nodded looking gravely at Bruce.
Alexandra was running into the water, she laughed as a dolphin splashed her, her clothes were all wet but she didn't care she felt free, the dolphin swam around her, she laughed but it was interrupted when a red haired woman called her name.
"Alexandra come now" she called, Alexandra pouted, but it quickly turned into a smirk as she walked out of the water.
"One would think that you are my mother" she teased; the redhead rolled her eyes.
"And one would think that you are a child, so I guess we're even, now come the Queen wants to speak to you" she said, Alexandra looked at her confusedly.
" The queen? Why?" She asked, the redhead shrugged.
"Nothing bad I suppose, maybe she just wants to see how you are doing, she worries about you sometimes" the redhead explained, Alexandra pouted again.
"I am no child, honestly"
"But yet you are the youngest of us all, you surprised us when we found you, you knew nothing about you, you had lived as a mortal woman surrounded with men and your family, she has the right to be worried about your well being"
"I'll have you know that I was extremely well on my own and that my father was an excellent one" Alexandra said in defense of her family, the redhead smiled at her.
"I know, they raised you well and you have taken to fight well, you will be a great warrior someday"
"That I hope, and that Diana comes back soon, I miss her" Alexandra said wistfully, the redhead laughed.
"She is the man's world now, but she will come back one day, she likes you, you two have the same kind of fire"
They arrived to the queen's palace, the redhead left Alexandra in front of the big doors that led to the throne room, Alexandra pushed the door open and walked in, the queen was seated in her throne looking at Alexandra with a raised eyebrow, Alexandra remembered that she was completely drenched and had the decency to look ashamed.
"Alexandra" the queen said softly "I have ill news for you today" she said, Alexandra looked confused "While we have fostered you here and you have proven to be an Amazon in your own right the gods have decided that this is not where you belong at all" the queen had moved and was now standing in front of Alexandra the girl was strangely silent.
"Will I return home now?" She asked softly and filled with hope, the queen pursued her lips.
"I do not know the will of the gods, but you will not be here anymore child, I shall miss you" she said giving Alexandra a hug, Alexandra hugged the queen back.
"And I you"
"You wont child"
"Why?"
"You'll remember none of it"
A strange pain cursed through her body as she was forcefully thrown through space and time once again.
Alexandra woke up with a gasp, her head hurt but she couldn't remember what she had been dreaming about, she stood from her bed and walked into the bathroom, as soon as she caught a glimpse of herself on the mirror she remembered the events of the night before, she had a bruise across her face, she looked down to herself to find that she was only wearing her black bra and her jeans, she poked her head out of the bathroom to find that the thing she had pushed away had not been a blanket but the cape of Bruce's bat suit, her heeled booties had been placed gingerly next to her bed.
Her fingers touched the bruise softly and a wave of pain hit her, she sighed and walked back to her room to get her makeup bag, the bruise was going to be a real bitch to cover, while she was rummaging in her bag she didn't notice that Bruce had slipped into her room, she turned to find him staring at her, his cheeks were slightly pink and she remembered that she was only wearing her bra and her jeans.
"Well this is awkward," she said, Bruce eyes found hers and he looked ashamed, she smiled at him "Anything I can help you with?"
"I came to see how you were doing" he said keeping his glance stuck to her face, not that he wanted to see the bruise that reminded him that he had almost been a bit too late, but it was better than the alternative.
"I'm doing fine, last night I was a bit shaken I guess, but no one really expects to be ambushed by idiots" she said with a soft smile on her face, she placed the makeup bag she was holding on her bed and walked up to him.
Bruce was almost holding his breath as Alexandra stood in front of him, she was standing too close for his liking, she was short, he noticed as she got on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his jaw.
"Thank you for saving me last night" she said taking a step back, Bruce scratched his neck awkwardly, since no one ever knew that he was the bat no one ever thanked him, not that he did much actual saving these days, but it felt nice, he smiled at her and grabbed her hand pressing a kiss to her knuckles.
"It was my pleasure" he said as he kissed her knuckles, she blushed and Bruce thought that she looked lovely, bruise and all, he let go of her hand and straightened "Alfred is making lunch, it will probably be served in half an hour" he said after a while, she nodded and moved to grab the bag she had placed on her bed, she winked at him and walked into the bathroom locking the door behind her, Bruce stood in the same spot for a few minutes before leaving.
Bruce made his way to the bat cave informing Alfred to call him once lunch was served. In the cave he found a newspaper with the headline, it mentioned the thugs and the interrogation had led them to confess that they were about to rape a girl when the infamous bat swept in. Bruce was pleased by the news and he knew that they were not going to last much alive in jail. He lingered in the cave for a while before joining Alfred and Alexandra for lunch.
The first thing he noticed when he sat was that Alexandra was wearing a ponytail, she rarely did so because she preferred to wear her hair down, the next thing he noticed was that the bruise was gone, or at least he couldn't see it anymore. He sat and they ate lunch in relative silence, after lunch Alfred excused himself to clean the dishes and Bruce sat with Alexandra on the couch.
"Did it heal?" He asked after a while, she giggled.
"I wish, but no, you are gazing upon the marvels of makeup" she said, he grabbed her face carefully and squinted his eyes; this caused more giggling from her.
"Why?" He asked letting go of her face, she sighed.
"I supposed that you and Alfred wouldn't want to see it, its pretty nasty" she said looking down, Bruce lifted her face up so he could look into her eyes.
"Alfred and I wouldn't care about how you look like Alexandra, you're beautiful with or without bruises" he said; she smiled.
"I know" she stopped and smiled "I mean thanks" Bruce raised an eyebrow.
"And modest, are we now?" He asked teasingly, her smile widened.
"Mum always said that I was a bit of a narcissist, maybe she was right"
"Perhaps" Bruce said grabbing the remote, he turned the TV on and Alexandra cuddled up to him, he put his arm around her shoulders and they both sat there watching a movie.
Alfred observed as Bruce and Alexandra sat on the couch as if it was a common occurrence, his arm lazily thrown around her shoulder and she cuddled up to him. Alfred smile at the sight that the pair made, perhaps there was going to be a new generation of Wayne's after all. It was two hours later that Alexandra joined him in the kitchen, she smiled at him as she poured herself a glass of orange juice.
"Where is Master Wayne?" He asked; she placed her glass down.
"Sleeping on the couch, he looks tired so I did my best not to wake him," she said, Alfred nodded.
"Have you enjoyed your stay in Gotham?" Asked Alfred, Alexandra smiled at him.
"It's been lovely so far, I try not to think much of the downs of life, my dad said that I was a pessimistic optimist, always bringing the light side of the situation and then twisting it beyond comprehension, mum called me a living contradiction as did one of my exes" she said suddenly frowning.
"Did you left someone important back in your universe?" Asked Alfred suddenly interested in her love life.
"Apart from mom and dad? No, I mean sure I dated occasionally but never anything serious enough, I used to think that I was going to end up living alone at forty five, sipping on wine and having a boring life probably doting on my friend's children" she said adopting a pensive expression, Alfred did not miss the past tense of her words.
"What changed then?" He asked, she blushed and sneaked a glance in Bruce's direction.
"I think everything did"
