Mai flew onto her balcony and open the doors. Before stepping in from the rain, she took off her boots, and hoodie. Walking into the bathroom, she removed the rest of her wet cloths and hung them in the shower. She walked naked to her dresser and put on a fresh pair of panties. After slipping her night cloths on, she check her cell and found a message from Rogue saying she got home ok and Bobby was doing fine.
Bruce was returning to his room when he heard screaming from down the hall.
"MOM! PLEASE HEAL! DON'T LEAVE ME!"
Bruce tried the knob, but it found it lock. He then threw his self against the door several times until it fell off its hinges.
Dream Sequence: Mai's POV:
The pain in my chest increased as I ran home. My hair fell into my eyes as I rounded the corner that led to our drive way. Our pickup was parked in front of the barn and lying a few feet away face down, was mom.
"MOM!" Running toward her and sliding on the gravel. Turning over I see her body riddled with bullets holes. I put my hands over the wounds "PLEASE MOM! DON'T LEAVE ME!" tears pour put as my attempts fail.
"MAI! MAI!" Someone's voice is yelling over my crying and the sound of rain falling.
End sequence
Bruce shook her shoulders trying to wake her up. "MAI! MAI!"
She shot up, still screaming and tackled him, her claws just inches from his face.
Alfred heard the screams and turned on the blinding light. He saw Mai on top of Bruce with her claws out. Bruce's hand on her wrist, stopping her from impaling him.
Still shaking, she jumped off him and ran out of the room. She ran back into the pouring rain and screamed into the night. She screamed till her throat ached and fell to her knees. She heard the two men come up behind her, but ignored them as Bruce wrapped a wool blanket around her and carried her in a bridal carry back into the house. He carried her into the living room and placed her front of the fire place.
He watched as the fire showed her tanned skin and reflected in her dark eyes. Strands of hair fell and framed her face. He had to admit she looked beautiful.
"I'm sorry." Her soft voice startled him
"For what?"
"Almost stabbing you in the face. I'm usually in better control of my nightmares."
"Do you get them often?"
"Almost every night. Either about my mom's death, the procedure. Sometimes there're even about losing my dad or the others."
"I know how you feel, watching a family member die."
"I read about your parents. I can't imagine seein that at such a young age."
"I can't imagine going through you went did. Why did you?" He looked her in the eyes.
"Shortly after the funeral, this man came to me and said he knew who ordered the hit and wanted to "make me invincible." Using the air quotes "I figured I didn't have anything else to lose, so I agreed. What I later found out was he was the one who ordered my mother to die and he watched as I butchered his men. He fired the dart at me." She waited for some reaction from him. She expected him to be scared and order her to leave, but he didn't. He looked liked he understood. "Is your parents murder what drove you to be, well what your are?"
"In a way. I was mostly tired of the corrupt not paying for their crimes. I left for seven years to study the criminal mind." He explained about the League of Shadows and refusing to kill the farmer, coming home and becoming Batman. He noted how intently she listened.
"Sounds like my cage fighting days. It helped me control my anger and helped my reflexes. I was actually working when my dad and Rogue came into the bar. That was the first time I saw him. My mom used to show his picture all the time and tell me stories about when they were together." She slipped the dog tag and locket from around her neck and handed it to him. He open the trinket and saw the picture of the two.
Mai looked about eight or nine. She was smiling in her mother's arms. On the right side was a photo of the man he recognized from the slide show, her father. The two looked exactly alike; same dark eyes, same tanned skin, even their hair style was the same; dark brown with ends flipping out. Handing it back, their fingers brushed together. He leaned in to kiss her, but she notice his scars on his shoulders, chest and torso.
"I can heal those for you. I mean, if you want me to." She avoid his eyes and gestured to his scars.
"You can do that?"
"If I concentrate hard enough, yeah." She slipped off the blanket and placed her hands on his chest, closed her eyes and focused on healing the old wounds. Eyes still closed she moved to the right shoulder and repeated the process. She felt a little awkward when she moved to his torso. His rock hard abs made her feel like drooling, but shut it out of her mind.
Bruce watched as she lightly touched his chest, shoulders and torso, healing every scar he had. He had never had someone touch so softly and almost lovingly, not even Rachel.
He focused on her face. Eyes closed, determined expression.
She opened her eyes as she pulled away and saw all the scars were healed. Despite feeling very light head, one side effect to healing too quickly, she stood up. Feeling her feet sway from under her, she felt strong arms catch her before she fell.
"Good reflexes" steadying herself on his shoulder she stood up without falling. Slowing walking over to window and wrapped the blanket tighter around her, wishing her father was comforting her. She remembered the first time her father had ran into her room when she a nightmare her first night at the school.
"Baby wake up! You gotta wake up darling!" He held his thrashing daughter down as she screamed in terror. Her eyes flashed open as Storm ran into the room and turned on the lights.
Students watching in the hall all saw Mai's eyes weren't their usual brown, but yellow and animal like and her teeth were fangs.
"Go back to your rooms kids" Logan ordered everyone as he held his shaking child. "Storm, I can take it from here." Storm gave a small smile and left him to comfort his daughter. "Shh. I got you kid. You're ok."
Mai began to cry as her father held her, softly stroking her hair and kissed her forehead.
"Lost in thought?" Bruce came beside her.
"Yeah. Kinda wishing my dad was here. He always knew how to comfort me after a nightmare."
"Maybe I can help. What does he do?"
"No offense, Wayne. But I think it would a little awkward for you to hold a girl that barely know and stroke her hair saying its gonna be ok, when she knows that they're never gonna stop."
"But if it helps, then I'll do it." He put his hand on her shoulder and softly stroked it.
Him stroking her shoulder helped a little. About an hour the two went to their rooms and Mai found a missed message from her father.
"Hey Darling, Storm need you back since Bobby isn't gonna be out for a while, so I'll be there to get ya tomorrow afternoon. Love you."
Mai was up early and pack all her stuff back into her duffle bag. She had informed Alfred not too long ago that she was leaving and would leave contact info for Bruce if he choose to support the school.
"Alfred where's Miss Howlet?" Bruce asked he finally came down stairs wearing a pair of jeans and white t-shirt.
"She's out on the porch, meditating. She said she need to "cleanse herself" before her father picks her up in few hours"
"You mean she's leaving?"
"Yes sir. She will leave information for you if you chose to donate to the school."
"Thanks."
He found her at the far end of the porch, softly sing in a native language. Her legs were crossed Indian style, her arms spread out on either side, thumb and middle finger touching. A light breeze blew her over her left shoulder.
"What are you singing?"
"I'm mother earth for forgiveness for my actions last night."
Before he could open his mouth again, Alfred came out to join them.
"Miss Mai, your father is here."
"Thanks Alfred." She stood up and dusted off her pant legs. Grabbing the duffle bag beside her, she walked through the house to meet her father.
Logan looked up from leaning against the car to see his daughter walk down the front stairs of the mansion. He smiled as she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged her to his chest. He kissed the top of her head as he stroked her long hair.
Bruce watch the reunion between father and daughter. He also noted that her father looking at him like he was his prey. Mai must have noticed, because she spoke softly to him and he soften his gaze.
"Papa, this is Mr. Wayne. Mr. Wayne, this is my father, Logan Howlett."
"Please call me Bruce." He held his hand to shake his hand.
"Wolverine." Mai rolled her eyes as her father shook Bruce's hand and said his nickname. "So, Bruce, not to be rude, but I need to know if your gonna support the school. Storm needs to know so we have you come by and see your investment."
"I'd be honored to support the school." His eyes mostly on Mai.
"Ok, then. We should be going right , dad?" Mai wrapped a hand around Logan's bicep and pulled him toward the car. "We'll be in tough, Mr. Wayne. Thank you for your hospitality.
The two drove off and Bruce felt like apart was going off with them.
"You care for her don't you, sir."
"I feel something."
