The rain was coming down the only way it ever seemed to in Gotham City-a steady, gloomy, gray downpour of early evening. The muffled sound of it coming through the window filled the room, like someone holding a seashell to their ear and hearing the echo of the ocean. The gray evening filled the darkened room as well, shadows moving dimly over the walls and ceiling and over the two figures lying in the bed, tangled sheets and blankets partly covering their lower bodies.

Both lay there slipping in and out of sleep and drowsy wakefulness, the profound state between dreams and reality. Her head lay on his chest and shoulder, one hand resting lightly over his heart. One of his arms wrapped underneath and around her, his hand slowly moving through the blonde hair. The other arm rested across his stomach, fingers lightly touching the curve of her hip. Both stared out the window at the rain whenever they found themselves conscious, both blissfully detached from any world beyond the shadow filled room and the feeling of lying beside the other, unaware of any passage of time. For both, the only place they'd ever seemed to exist was here, the only time they'd ever experienced was now.

He turned his head, still in the somnolent state, and held her to him gently as he pressed his lips to her forehead. She raised her head from his chest, in the same dreamy frame of mind, before resting it on the pillow beside his.

He looked at her for another moment before moving smoothly onto his side in one fluid motion, cradling her closer with his arm and slipping his hand underneath her thigh to pull her leg over him before moving it to caress and rest on her rear. She pulled herself closer to him at the same time, the blankets and sheets being pulled down from their bodies and the mutual understanding passing between the two of them that can only pass between lovers. He brought his lips to hers all in the same fluid motion and she accepted them as she held him closer to her, hand pressing against his back and shoulders. He kissed her deeply and she kissed back as best she could, silent and deep, holding each other close. His hand moved down from her rear, held and caressed her thigh again, moved back up. She held his neck, fingertips only just running through the hair at the back of his head. The kisses could only be described as both tender and soul consuming, noses and foreheads quickly touching, bowed towards each other, before bringing their lips back together and resuming the silent expressions of affection and devotion. The ardor, the closeness was almost palpable, mixing with the shadows on the walls, joining the murmur of the rain. As their mouths moved against each other, full of yearning and need, they held each other more and more tightly, hands and limbs wrapping around each other's bodies and creating a shared warmth that that no amount of sheets and blankets could ever compare to.

Soon even the all consuming kisses weren't enough and she broke away to turn over on her back, eyes closing and head bowed in a supplicant expression before she looked up again at him, still propped up on his side. He lowered his head and kissed her once more before turning over with the same fluid motion, lower body against hers, and balanced on his upper arms to position herself above her. If the shadows could have watched they would have seen him lower his lips to hers again as she raised her chin towards him, another silent long deep kiss, and her hands cradle the back of his head and rest on his shoulders.

Soon the muffled, echoing sound of the rain was joined by the the barely audible noises of clothes being removed, whispering, and then soft little breaths...one alternating between deep and rasping and a higher pitch, the other consistently soft and feminine, a hoarseness sometimes coming through. The creak of the moving mattress and bed springs and the rustling of blankets and sheets were the last sounds to join the rain as he pushed in and out of her, lower bodies covered by the sheets again.

After a while the shadows on the ceiling would have seen him pushing himself in her one last time before his back arched and a small shiver ran through him. They would have seen her nails dig into his back and shoulders, grasping at him, and the movement through the sheets of her legs and feet moving up and around him as they shook. They would have seen him move off of her, back on to his side as he gazed at her lying there, the look of fulfillment still on her face. And even the shadows would have turned away as the two kissed again before she turned on her side to face him, hands pressed up against each other's hearts, and began whispering things to each other that would never leave their bed, would never leave the murmur of the rain and dim room, as they lay there wrapped up in each other, so consumed.

And the rain in Gotham fell.

a/n: This took me a long time to write. I listen to Take Me Home by Jess Glynne for inspiration writing these because I think it's the perfect song for Jarley, from both of their perspectives, and this image came into my mind. I could see the song playing in the background if these two were a chick flick, or even in any movie about them, and feel free to listen to it while you read. :P Also the next few chapters will be terribly dirty since I've gone a little off track with all this romance. Oh yeah, and you know the drill...I love reading your reactions to these, it means a lot to me, so please review if you got anything to say. (I just reread this and my author's note. Oh dear God...I am a cheeseball tonight...more than usual...)

Wrapped up, so consumed by all this hurt
If you ask me, don't know where to start
Anger, love, confusion
Roads that go nowhere
I know that somewhere better
'Cause you always take me there

Came to you with a broken faith
Gave me more than a hand to hold
Caught before I hit the ground
Tell me I'm safe, you've got me now

Would you take the wheel
If I lose control?
If I'm lying here
Will you take me home?

Could you take care of a broken soul?
Will you hold me now?
Oh, will you take me home?

Hold the gun to my head, count 1, 2, 3
If it helps me walk away then it's what I need
Every minute gets easier
The more you talk to me
You rationalize my darkest thoughts
Yeah, you set them free

Came to you with a broken faith
Gave me more than a hand to hold
Caught before I hit the ground
Tell me I'm safe, you've got me now

Would you take the wheel
If I lose control?
If I'm lying here
Will you take me home?

Could you take care of a broken soul?
Oh, will you hold me now?

You say space will make it better
And time will make it heal
I won't be lost forever
And soon I wouldn't feel
Like I'm haunted, oh, falling

Would you take the wheel
If I lose control?
If I'm lying here
Will you take me home?

Could you take care of a broken soul?
Oh, will you hold me now?
Oh, will you take me home?