Diary of Bruce Wayne

16th October 1997

It's late afternoon, I'll soon be going out on patrol. Just as I was finally reaching some of the answers I have been searching... no, digging for, Selina... Damn what the hell has happened to her? This is not looking good. She has become like a wild animal, if this is just her jealousy of Widow, I could live with it, so could Widow probably. But this is all wrong, it's just not like Selina to do this, a slap, a punch or even a kick yes... not this, she's ripping her apart. I need Red Widow for answers, I just can't let Selina become a killer... I Won't, not on my watch.

Wayne manor

Standing up covered in blood, Selina Kyle smiling at her victory, pants with exhaustion. It's at this very same moment Bruce pounced on her knocking her out with a hard balled fist to the side of the head, looking worriedly over to the badly blooded Widow, what a mess. Her muscles and skin ripped to shreds, her face was almost unrecognisable. The others in the house after hearing the shouting , just stood in the doorway in muted shock, Bruce looks towards them, one by one they slowly back off and go outside, Only Alfred stayed. After binding Selina, he checks Red Widow for a pulse, thankfully finding one. Watching in awe as her wounds slowly heal themselves... This woman is full of surprises. Slowly coming around, Widow's eyes slowly flutter open seeing Bruce and Alfred kneeling over Selina with worry.

"Ouch... That actually hurt." Turning over to get up off the floor. "How is she?" Widow asks putting a hand on Bruce's shoulder.

"Something's wrong with her, she's burning up... Why did she attack you? Why didn't you fight back?" Bruce said with a look of pure care and affection for Selina.

Bending down and giving Selina a once over, checking her hands, looking in her eyes, turning her head to reveal her neck...

"I didn't fight back because she's not my enemy, she's your lover. It's because she's just that, she was protecting what was hers... Damn... *Sigh* I'm sorry Bruce she's been bitten... The transformation isn't complete yet, she really didn't know what she was doing. If you want me to, I could..." Widow said with sadness, slowly pulling a silver tipped stake out of her leg guard.

Clamping his hand on Widow's wrist, he looks at her pleading,

"No... No killing, there has got to be another way. A cure, a chance that it won't be permanent...Anything."

"There is, but it will be tough both on you and her... Take her down to the cave. Ireally hope you have a chemistry lab down there, and possibly a forge" Widow says then looks to Alfred, "Is there any silver in the house that you could do without? Broken chains, bent spoons, knives, anything? And bring garlic, lots of garlic."

Alfred just nods and hurries off to the kitchen. Bruce picks up Selina and carries her down to the cave. Putting her in the very same cell Red Widow was in the night before, locking the door.

"Follow me..." Was all he could say, leading the way to the lab and forge, looking with satisfaction Widow says,

"You really do think of everything... We need sodium hydroxide, ammonium nitrate and silver citricate, the pure garlic essence from my bag... Oh and a sample of pure untainted blood."

"Is that why you need the silverware? As for the blood you can take some of mine" Bruce says watching with interest as she sets up an alembic and mixing unit, watching as she pulls out the sealed tube from her bag.

"No... The silverware is to be reformed into something else. Are you sure you want to use your blood? I'm going to need at least a quarter to two thirds of a pint." Red Widow looks at Bruce with a newly found respect.

"If that's what it will take to cure her... I wonder what happened to her?" Bruce looks back with a stern glance towards the cell.

"You really do love her don't you... Good that might help. Why don't you ask her, she's awake. I'll get the base mix ready... just be careful, she's going to be a little bit wild... If not totally unpredictable." Widow tells him, getting back to work on the cure. Alfred walks down the stairs and towards Red Widow with a box filled with broken and bent silverware and a net bag filled with garlic.

"Here you are miss, I hope this is enough... Is there anything else I can do for you?" He asks with worried eyes.

"Thank you Alfred, yes there is something that you can do, set up a chair with a blood kit, Bruce is going to need it." Widow says to him as she slowly drips silver citricate into the test tube, making sure it doesn't explode. Alfred sets to work, Bruce walks up to the cell and looks at Selina with caring eyes.

"Oh YOU don't get to look at me like that, not after choosing her over me... I hate you! I don't know what I ever saw in you in the first place." Selina spits at him, eyes red with tears and fever she lunges at the cell door, Bruce just steps away in time not to be clawed.

"What happened to you Selina?"

"Why should you care? I went out... I Went to bed... I Woke up... I came here to see if you had decided as to what was more important to you, on the way here I had a drink or three with someone... Ouch my head... I don't feel to good, what did I drink?..." Then the realisation of what she did hits her like a brick. "Shit... I'm sorry Bruce, did I kill her? With the fact I'm in here and covered in blood, I'd say yes... But you're not angry with me, so she must have survived, just." Sitting down on the cell's bed head in hands, she begins to cry. "What the hell have I done?"

Walking up behind Bruce, Alfred puts a hand on his shoulder,

"Sir are you ready?"

With a nod Bruce follows silently grim look on his face, he sits in the chair and rolls up his sleeve.

"Are you sure about this Bruce?" Widow asks just as Alfred sets the tourniquet and injects the needle... Bruce nods as he leans back and relaxes as the blood drains from his arm into a three quarter flask.

"Of course, there is no choice, there is no other way."