HEY EVERYONE! Guess who's back?! That's right – me! XD

Guys, I just wanted to say up front… I am SO sorry that I haven't updated this in over a year. I swear, it's not because I didn't want to work on this because I did! I just got sucked up into the Transformers fandom for a long while… ^^; But I ALWAYS remembered this story and I'm pretty shocked that this thing still has followers!

And I didn't realize the lack of Bane fanfiction! Seriously – I've been away for a year and this fic is still one of the only seven Bane fics! Anyway, I finally found the drive to work on and finish this chapter.

I hope it's good… Sorry for making you wait. ^^;


When his host had gotten Chinese takeout for dinner, she had apparently stopped by the liquor store as well, buying herself a twelve pack of beer. He was a bit taken aback as to her purchase of alcohol. Didn't she worry about her own safety? She had brought a stranger into her home, a stranger who she didn't even realize was lying to her.

Surely, she knew what kind of scenario this was. Getting drunk in front of a stranger? He had only been living here for three days… Perhaps when she had asked him what kind of a person he thought her to be like, he should have said "irresponsible." Just because she was young didn't excuse her from being completely stupid and doing dangerous things.

Not that he had any interest in something like that. In fact, he had no interest in women. Not because he was gay or asexual or something like that. He just… simply didn't have an interest in sex. He grew up in a hellhole of a prison with some of the most deprived human beings he had ever come across. While some of the criminals in there had been sexual deviants – Bane even knew of one inmate that was in for being basically a serial rapist and killer – he was not one of them and he had never become one of them.

In truth, he was a virgin. He wasn't ashamed of it, either. He didn't need women and he didn't practically have a desire for them either. He just wasn't that type of person. He could kill, rob, fight, and do all of those violent and murderous acts to anyone for any give reason. But he didn't rape because he simply didn't have a desire to control any woman like that.

She was incredibly fortunate that he, the stranger, had no interest in taking advantage of her. Well, sexually anyway. He was taking advantage of her by lying to her about his identity and by trying to get close to her for the sake of meeting and robbing her grandfather.

He had learned a bit about her from their dinner conversations these past few evenings. How her parents were kind of "white-trash" (her words, not his), how she moved here when her wealthy grandfather had offered her a job, how she barely finished community and was too lazy to get her bachelors, how she was a bit of a stupid kid, and so on.

He would make up lies about himself, mainly regurgitating information he had on other inmates in his childhood prison. He drafted his story carefully, giving enough detail to satisfy any questions she may or may not have had. He created a "normal" young being that he knew would satisfy anyone if they asked.

His name was Javier Suarez. He was born into a large family in Guatemala, the fourth child of six. Wanting a better life and having the potential to have one over his brothers and sisters, his entire family saved up for him to come to America to get his citizenship. He had gotten his citizenship and had found a nice office job at a phone company. He missed his family and kept in touch with them, sending them letters and money once a month. Of course, with the bad economy, he had been laid off and had been homeless for about a month before ending up here due to Adele's kindness.

It was a complete and utter lie, but it wasn't as if he could tell her the truth. If she ever found out, she would not doubt try to call the police. Then he would have to kill her. And it wouldn't be hard. She may have looked athletic, but she was even smaller than him and he had much more skill than she ever would. All he would have to do was knock her down to the floor and strangle her. No one would ever know until her corpse rotted, causing a hideous odor to come through the apartment. Unless he dumped the body somewhere.

But no one would know it was him and that was all that mattered to him at the end of the day.

He, of course, would never say that out loud. Unless he wanted to be discovered. For now, he simply pretended to be someone he wasn't for the sake of getting close to her and, eventually, her grandfather.

Though, he wasn't expecting the woman to get this drunk after they finished eating the food she had bought for them.

She had offered him a can, but he declined, watching her down one beer after another. He asked her if she wanted to stop, but she said she was fine. He didn't care to truly stop her, just leaning back on the couch and watching her drink herself into a stupor. He wondered for a moment if most normal women were like this. Bringing strangers home and then getting drunk in front of them.

But he knew it was probably just irresponsible women like this one. She was the type of woman that made her an easy target for men like him. Criminals who wanted something from her, but certainly not a relationship. Whether it was money, sex, or the simple idea of power, it was women like Adele where criminals would get it from. Women like her were foolish. Slow. Easily manipulated. That was why she had let him in. That was why he knew he could get what he wanted from a woman like her and she would be none the wiser.

As Bane just watched her from the makeshift bed, Adele continued to drink on the chair across from her couch. She was on the seventh beer and she was definitely drunk. Not completely wasted, but more than buzzed. She had never been the best at holding her liquor, but damn it, she was pissed and just wanted to forget about what happened when she had went to pick up some Chinese food.

Her ex-boyfriend had been there, ordering something himself. He approached her, despite her giving him the cold shoulder. He even stalked her for a bit, mocking her and calling her whatever nasty insult he could throw at her, telling her that of course he would go to someone else when she wasn't satisfying him. She had proceeded to punch him in the face and stormed off, ignoring his shouts.

Because he didn't attempt to go after her, though, she continued down to the liquor store and bought the first twelve pack she saw. How dare that bastard say that! Wasn't satisfying him?! Did he expect her to have sex with him every night?! She had a job and life – sex wasn't always on her mind! She couldn't believe him… Well, no, she could believe him, the slimy pervert.

And to think she had seriously liked him. That was why she was so angry. She had liked him and it hurt her for him to say that. And it had only been less than a week. Of course she would still feel something for the man, even if he had gone and done that. Feelings didn't just go away with the snap of her fingers. She wished it did. It would certainly make things less painful.

She didn't even care that some stranger was over at her house. She just wanted to drink and forget about that guy, even if it killed her.

She let out a heavy sigh, making her house guest turn to her. It had only been three days, but Javier was a nice guy. He didn't get in her way and was pretty polite. He was a bit standoffish though and didn't like to make conversation. But it was okay. It matched his dark, thug-like appearance. He may have been small and a little skinny, but it was obvious he could beat the crap out of her if he wanted to. Still, he didn't and was good to her, which she deeply appreciated

"You're a nice guy, you know."

He looked up, but remained silent.

She giggled, finishing the rest of her can and throwing it to the floor. She got up from the chair and plopped down on the couch, making his eyes widen slightly. Just what did she think she was doing? He said nothing though and continued to look at her as she scooted up to him.

"You're a nice guy," she repeated, smiling. "You don't get in my way. You don't steal my shit… Seriously – you're better than all my ex-boyfriends put together and I've only known you for… three day, right?"

"Yes." He was finding himself rather uncomfortable as she came a little too close to him. But he was already leaning back against the back of the couch. There wasn't anywhere else he could really go.

"Yeah, three days." She leaned into his arm, closing her eyes. He was warm. God, she missed this. She may have broken up with her ex, but… she was tired of being lonely. And tossed aside. Just the warmth of leaning against another man's body was… relaxing. She must have looked like a pathetic loser, but she was too buzzed to care.

Bane stiffened a bit when she leaned against him. What the hell was she doing? He hoped she wasn't trying to silently ask him for sex or anything like that. There was no way he was going to do something like that. To make sure she understood he had no desire for anything of the sort, he kept his hands on his sides and did not move closer to her. He stayed perfectly still as he looked at her, waiting for her to do… whatever she was going to do.

"My ex was a bastard," she mumbled. "He cheated on me. Because I didn't let him hump me every time he wanted to do it. But I was either tired or just not in the mood! I mean, shit – you must have had girlfriends before, right? Weren't there just times you didn't wanna do it?!"

He truthfully didn't have much experience on the subject, but he knew his silence wouldn't help him get her off of him. Considering sex wasn't on his mind, he never really wanted to do it. So he just nodded, which seemed to satisfy her.

"See?" she said, gesturing to him. "Finally – a man who understand where I'm coming from! I wish I would have met you a long time ago! I need someone who can understand me… Geez, and here I thought you were just a homeless thug."

Bane remained silent as the woman rambled on and on about past boyfriends. He pitied somewhat. It was obvious that she did not have a nice record of lovers. She just seemed to date criminals. But he wasn't too surprised. She was irresponsible and foolish. She was just too easy of a target for men like that.

Eventually, the girl was growing sleepy and slumped against his arm, mumbling about how he was a nice guy and why she couldn't date someone like him. If she didn't get to her own bed soon, he would be sleeping next to a touchy drunken woman. He certainly didn't want that, especially if she came to her senses and somehow found a way to accuse him of rape.

Carefully, he picked her up in his arms. She was pretty damn light. He had forgotten that women didn't have as much mass as men did, especially when comparing someone as trained as himself to a normal woman of this size.

He carried her to her bedroom, though he struggled a little bit because she kept wiggling around in his grip, giggling like a child. He decided that next time his host wanted to drink, he would try to convince her that it wasn't such a good idea. Especially not when strangers were in her house… Well, perhaps he wouldn't say that. He didn't want her to think he did something to her when he would never.

Just as he laid her down on her bed, she wrapped his arms around his neck and yanked him down. He lost his footing and fell on top of her, giving a small grunt as she laughed. He frowned, undoing her arms. Drunken women were certainly annoying creatures. Or maybe Adele just was when she was drunk, clinging to him like he was her lover.

"You're such a nice guy," she purred, running her fingers down his lips. "But that's how they all start out… They're all nice and friendly before they completely screw me over… Are you like that too, Javier? Are you going to screw me too?"

This woman was drunk. And she probably wouldn't even remember any of this come morning. Drunk people usually didn't remember much. He huffed and shook his head. "No, I won't."

It was a lie, but if it would make the woman happy and get her to stop touching him, he would say anything at this point.

"Really?"

"Yes. I won't 'screw you over.'"

She smiled brightly at that. Then, catching the criminal off guard, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him down, crushing her lips against his.

Bane did not move. His entire body just remained frozen as he stared down at the woman kissing him with wide eyes. He… didn't know what to think. He had never kissed anyone before. Where would he have ever kissed anyone?! He had never been with anyone this way. Not even for recreational purposes! He wasn't like Two-Face or Penguin – his interests resided elsewhere and away from the female body!

Still, he never would have imagined a woman's lips to be so… soft. Or small. How would he have known? He never touched anyone in this manner before. He didn't know a woman's lips would be so warm and so gentle… Smooth and calming… God, what was this? He didn't hate it, but he didn't understand it, so he couldn't very well say he liked it. Besides, it smelled of alcohol, which put him off a bit.

Definitely not the typical romantic "first kiss" people envisioned.

Finally, Adele let go, giving a lazy smile as she fell back against the sheets. He just stared at her for a few moments as she laughed, putting herself in a more vulnerable position. "You're not a bad guy, Javier… I like that."

Bane said nothing. He simply stood up and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. He waited by the door for a few moments, seeing if she would come out or not. She didn't, making him think she was giggling up a storm inside or was slowly passing out. Either way, she wouldn't be near him, which he liked.

He huffed, walking back into the living room. He picked up one of the remaining beer cans and opened one, talking a large gulp from it. The cold and fresh cheap beer had a bad after taste, but it settled his nerves a bit. Not that he was completely rattled. Just… shocked by what she had done.

His host, after only knowing each other for three days, had just kissed him. And flirted with him a bit back in her bedroom. Or so he dubbed it as flirting. Of course, she was drunk and wouldn't remember a thing tomorrow, which he would prefer. He would rather not have her bring up what she had just done a few moments ago.

He finished the can and let it fall to the floor, lying back down on the makeshift bed. He had certainly gotten closer to her that he wanted to. And, for his sake, he hoped that would be the last time they would ever get that close.