Sorry for the wait everyone! I was on vacation and away from the computer for a week so I couldn't update:( I hope you all enjoy this chapter and are enjoying the story up to this point. The timing again in this chapter may seem off again (especially to those of you who have had the pleasure of seeing Dark Knight Rises) because I'm trying to get us into the plot of the movie:) I'm really excited to write the chapters to come so please bear with the timing issues!
Thank you again for the continued support! Please keep reading and and following and all the rest! Means the world to me!
The sun shined through the windows in Grace's apartment. Grace opened her eyes slowly in a state of confusion. Had she actually slept through the night with no image of the Joker or Harvey with half of his face burned? It wasn't every night one of those popped up in her dreams but the majority of nights they made some kind of appearance. Looking over to her side, she remembered the night. After they kissed, John and she had decided to finish the movie. But judging from the fact that Grace had just woken up on John's chest on the couch in her apartment pretty late the next day, she guessed he'd fallen asleep during the movie just as she had.
Just as she was about to lie back down onto John's shoulder, he woke up. "'Morning." He said groggily wiping his eyes.
"'Morning." Grace said in reply.
"How long have you been up?" He asked still in a half-asleep state.
"Only a few minutes, I didn't want to wake you." She motioned to his arm which was resting on the back of her neck.
"Oh, gotcha." If he wasn't only a few moments into consciousness, John probably would've moved, but he was so comfortable that he had no intention of getting up. "Sorry, I fell asleep." John continued now awake. He sat a little more upright, but Grace's head stayed comfortably on his chest, and his arm was still around her shoulders.
"Does it look like I really argued?" Grace looked back smiling. "Do all Gotham cops have this comfortable of chests?"
"Yeah, it is part of the application process." John rested his cheek down on Grace's head.
Grace laughed and reached for the remote to turn the TV on. The news was on showing the clip of Batman from last night. The reporter voiced-over to say this: "The caped-vigilante Batman reappeared last night to Gotham's surprise. The Batman has been out of the public eye for eight years after committing a string of vicious murders including the murder of the late District Attorney Harvey Dent who was known for his dedication to upholding the law and improving Gotham. If caught, Batman will stand trial for these murders. Anyone with information on this case should not hesitate to inform the authorities." The news story changed to something about the big football game today, but Grace didn't move. It was as if she were frozen in her seat. John grabbed the remote from the table and quickly turned the television off.
"Are you alright?" John asked.
"Yeah, it's just," she stopped at a loss for words. "It's nothing."
John loosened his grip so he had enough slack on his arms to look her in the eyes. "No, it's not nothing. I can tell something bothered you. You can tell me."
Grace looked down thinking of how to reply. "It's just, I hate hearing them talk about him like that, like he's some kind of criminal. He's given Gotham so much, and he's going to keep doing it. The people of Gotham will never know how much Batman really gave to this city. He saw Rachel as his only out into a normal life, but the Joker ruined all of that." Grace stopped looking down then up with realization.
"What?" John said with concern. He'd never seen Grace like this. He'd known her in two ways: the amazing girl he'd somehow snagged to go on a date with him and the little sister of one of the most powerful men in Gotham (in more ways than most would know).
"It's almost funny, not funny ha-ha, but you know. The Joker, as far as we all know, had no idea Bruce was Batman. Yet, somehow he still managed to ruin Batman's life- his real one for that matter."
"Wow, I had no idea." John had always known that Bruce was Batman and that Batman didn't commit those crimes. He just couldn't have in John's opinion, but John had also not though twice about what it must've been like to be accused of all of these crimes.
"Yeah, and it's not like I blame anyone for it especially you- you saw right through all of the lies." Grace stopped. She had said too much. She loved her brother more than anything in the world, but what about Harvey? Harvey was her hero- a different kind than Bruce. Someone may compare Grace's relationship with Harvey to the city of Gotham's relationship with Gotham- dreamlike and idealistic.
"Are you sure you're okay? I feel like there's still something that you're holding back." John was sweet and kind. Grace hadn't felt this way in a long time, but this was exactly what she didn't want. It was too fast. One day, things would come crashing down and the rubble would leave Grace nothing but regrets like it always happened.
Grace plastered a smile on her face. "No, it's really fine. It's honestly just over-protective sibling stuff." She licked her lips slightly contemplating an out that would save her from herself and still make John know she was interested. "This has been really great- you and I." She rubbed John's hand, and he knew something was wrong. His dark, kind eyes broke her. "I just, I don't like talking about this stuff. One day, hopefully, I'll be able to, just not now. Grace's head dropped.
John knew that smile she had plastered on at first; it was fake, and her brother had the same one jut as John had. She may not have been old enough to be weathering the effects of her parents' deaths like John , but they were more similar than not. They both had pain. John chose to not bring it up, and Grace- whose role in the events eight years ago are already too public to be ignored only to be even more intense and intimate as you look closer- is probably just sick and tired of trying to sort through her own feelings, nonetheless share them.
John hooked his index finger under Grace's chin and tilted it up so she would be looking him straight in the face. "It's okay." He kissed her forehead softly. "I understand." He pressed his forehead to hers. "Maybe later we can talk about this later." Grace smiled as John moved his head back.
His phone rang and he answered it swiftly. There was a disturbance in the sewers. Some yelling and now there was a mysterious woman, a Selina Kyle, walking around the premises of the Wayne manor as reported by Lucius Fox to Gotham City Police. John had done research on her and knew that he had to have been in deep with all the wrong people which may have left her desperate.
John looked up about to explain but Grace stopped him. "Go. I understand the need to protect Gotham. I've witnessed it most of my life."
So John went, and as Grace settled in her phone rang showing she'd received a message. It was a number unrecognized by the contacts in her cellphone but she recognized it at first glance, It was the number of the industrial-strength cell phone Bruce kept in his Bat suit to make contact in emergencies. Grace listened to the message and couldn't help but gasp. It was yelling (probably more accurately described as moaning) and it sounded like a fight. The service was really bad so not too much was clear but Grace recognized Bruce's voice and an almost mechanical voice. Something was wrong, and Grace had a bad feeling the man who'd helped solve all of her and Gotham's problems- Batman- wouldn't be able to help.