Thank you to all of you who have stuck with me through this story! I am very sorry for the delay! The regular things have come in the way, such as school and life in general. My classes will continue to get more demanding but I feel like after this chapter I should be able to write a bit more freely. I have had trouble with how to bridge certain events and keep it well paced. Also my style of writing keeps changing I realized chapter to chapter. (Something I may remedy in the future.) Furthermore I have been going through the ever popular feeling that I am not worthy to write a Batman fic and do it justice. A little insecurity can give you writers block for sure! Anyway thanks to all of you for reading this far and I hope that you enjoy this next chappie!
A huge thank you to everyone that reviewed! You make is story happen!!
Kilts and Realization
Chapter 7
"Good God Bruce, show a little mercy!"
Kate looked up at her friend and current mentor with astonishment. Only a moment earlier she had been upright waiting for him to move towards her. The next moment she had landed rather painfully on a very sensitive area that she had always thought would provide more cushion than it had.
"You wanted to learn how to fight Kate, and the best way to do that is to show you what your weaknesses are."
"I just didn't expect you to be that, well……fast."
Bruce looked at her with his lips curling around the edges, forming the beginnings of a rather triumphant smirk. "Is it my social status that makes you underestimate me?" He asked teasingly.
"Not anymore!"
"Now get up, and I'll teach you the counter for what I just did." Turning away from her, Bruce mentally prepared himself for the afternoon ahead. He was finding it particularly hard to be so gruff with a woman that he was growing so fond of.
Unknown to him though while he had his back turned, Kate had pulled herself up, and swiftly decided to cause Bruce a bit of embarrassment by trying to knock him over by a quick lunge. However she did not expect to encounter an iron hard, unmoving man.
"Uh..." Katherine looked up at him a bit sheepishly, her arms still round his waist. "I…I was trying to…." That was all she managed before Bruce decided to take action. Before she even new what hit her, she was unceremoniously thrown down on the mat by an indifferent looking Bruce. He had managed to flip her body 180 degrees in the air, making her land on her back with a loud thud, thus knocking the wind out of her.
When he noticed she was breathing normally again he leaned down looking in her eyes, "I thought Scots always attacked fairly?"
"I hate you Mr. Wayne." She resumed calling him by his formal name to demonstrate her frustration.
"Ready, Ms Morton?" He gazed down at her trying to hide his amusement.
"I suppose I don't have choice." She rolled to the side and pulled herself up slowly. "Ready when you are."
It had only been a week since Katherine's harrowing experience with Charlie Carver, but, as soon as she felt able she wanted to start hitting things as hard as she could. The revelations brought to her from that insufferable night had been occupying her thoughts more and more as the day's drug on. She was beginning to feel utterly consumed by what she now knew. Finding out the cause of her sister's murder was altering to say the least, and to think that it all went back to Ethan. Ethan's debt had driven this mad man to kill her sister in cold blood. Ethan's gambling that led him to borrow money from the mad man. It wasn't at all a stretch to say that Kate hated him. Hated him more than she ever thought possible. She had more than enough reason to despise the man before, but as she saw it, he was the reason Olivia was dead. It may not have been by his hand, but he led her to her grave without a doubt.
The slamming of a door startled Alfred, causing him to turn towards the hallway. As he glanced downward he saw a rather amused Bruce walking towards him.
"Anything wrong Master Wayne?" A look of intrigued suspicion was crossing over the elder mans face.
"Alfred, why on earth are you smiling at me?"
"Ah, it's nothing sir. I do wonder though what it is you did to my niece to make her so disconcerted."
"Nothing more than what she asked of me Alfred."
"Do go easy on her sir; she's a prideful woman on her best day."
"So I've noticed." A brief chuckle escaped his mouth without permission.
"Have you now?"
"Her face when she gets frustrated. For some reason I find it amusing to provoke that face." At this absurd thought he began to laugh louder. "I have no idea why, although I do think maybe that's what your face would look like if I ever saw you in such a mood."
It was during this last revelation that Kate stepped out into the sunlit hallway and hastily threw a pillow at the back of his head. Without a noise Bruce turned around to see a very innerved Kate staring right at him.
"That was a cheap shot Ms Morton." He kept a cool and calm reserve, actively holding back his desire to smile. Alfred was less inclined to hold back his amusement. "Good Lord Katherine, you look as frazzled as a porcupine."
"Oh?!! Get stuffed!!" Frustrated with the lack of reaction and shock from her victim, Kate turned and re-entered the solace of her room.
"Well sir, it would seem that you bring out the worst in her."
Later that evening, Alfred set out on a journey to track down Kate. "Ah, there you are." Closing the door behind her Kate noticed a rather strange look on her uncle's face.
"Sorry, I didn't know anyone was looking for me, I was out for a walk."
"That's alright dear; it's just that I have some news about the museum and thought that you might want to know straight away." His cockney accent usually slight was getting thicker, showing Kate that he was truly excited.
"Well then don't keep me on edge, what is it?"
"Detective Gordon phoned to say that after a long chat with the head of Curation, they have decided to postpone the opening of the exhibit until your return, whenever that may be."
Kate's jaw fell to the floor. "If that's a joke it's not funny."
"Why on earth would I joke about something as important as that?" Her uncle looked truly offended. Tears welled in her eyes as she pounced on the old man squeezing him with as much strength as she could muster.
"Well it's good to see you smile Kate Mate, even if it's though tears." With a soft chuckle he leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "I told you, good things will come."
"I know its just, wait a second. In order to postpone something like that you need the backer, among others to….Uncle Alfred," She pulled away looking her uncle straight in the eyes. "Who's the largest contributor to the museum?"
"How in the world would I know that?"
"Do you know that my exhibition was being backed by an anonymous source?"
"No Katherine I didn't. What on earth are you going on about?"
"Who's the richest man in Gotham? Hmm…..lets think shall we? Could it be Bruce Wayne?"
Kate backed away from her dumbfounded uncle. Squinting her eyes she drew her head forward a bit, trying to mock an accusatory voice. "Is he a great supporter of the museum?"
"Good lord Katherine! I don't know!" In exasperation he crossed his arms in front of himself.
"You know everything! Is he backing my wing?"
"No." A very large smile formed on his worn face.
"I don't believe you."
"How about some dinner? I would love to have an evening with my most inquisitive niece."
"Don't you change the subject!" Laughter came out with her last exclamation and a large smile took her over. "Was Bruce apart of this? I have to know!"
"I would advise that you address these questions to Master Bruce."
"I knew it!" She suddenly felt a like she was in a detective show, and had solved the case.
"You hardly know a thing." He walked forward as he spoke and took Kate by her shoulders, steering her to the kitchen.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means I would like to know what it is your hungry for."
"Evasive eh? I don't know. Let's get creative shall we?"
Kate knew when to give up. Alfred seemed to be more stubborn than the lot of them at times.
Kate hung the phone up with a depressed sigh. Where were Gavin and Molly? She had been trying to get a hold of them for days now with no response. She mopped over to the loveseat near the center of the large rec room and slumped down. So much had happened to her this last week, not to mention the last few months, and she desperately needed to hear the friendly voices of her closest friends. Bringing her legs up to her chest she continued her thoughts, trying not to feel so glum. She loved her uncle, and in spite of Bruce's tough teaching techniques (not to mention all the bruises he had left on her) she was rather fond of him as well. It just wasn't the same. She wanted the familiar around her again, if only for a few moments. A tear escaped and ran down her cheek, betraying her will to be strong. A flood gate opened then, letting her shed all the tears she had been holding back. Tears for her sister's sad fate, tears for herself for coming so close to death, tears for not having her parents to help guide her though. She tried to keep quiet, muting her whimpers as much as she could. She knew it was extremely late but could seem to move off the comfy haven the love seat was providing her.
"Kate? Are you all right?" Bruce had walked in to check the room after hearing peculiar sounds from the hallway.
She had been so consumed that she didn't even hear him come in. "What? Oh, sorry it's just that I can't get a hold of my friends back in Scotland."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Its ok, I just miss them. They're my family too, and with Christmas approaching I just wish I could at least hear their voices you know?"
"Well I'm sure that you'll get a hold of them soon. Everyone has to pop up sometime"
"We would know better than most."
"The witty remarks are back. Very good Ms. Morton, very good."
She smiled up at him, their eyes locked. Bruce just stood there; words seemed to fall out of his head at a rapid rate.
Come on Bruce, get a grip. Say something! SAY SOMETHING! Kate just stared at Bruce having no idea what was going on.
"Are you ok Bruce? Bruce?"
"Yeah." He croaked. "I better get to bed, I uh…..I….good night Kate." Breaking away from her stare he moved towards the door in four large strides.
"Hey Bruce!" Kate felt a pang of sadness at his departure, to her surprise.
"Hmm?" He turned to face her, eyes looking straight into her own.
"We still on for lessons tomorrow?"
"Are you going to attack me from behind again?"
"Mphhh."
"What was that?" Bruce eyes her speculatively.
"The Scottish noise for maybe, maybe not."
"If you do please realize that you'll be the worse for it." He flashed a smile and opened the door. "Oh, and Kate? I mean it, about your friends I mean. They are bound to surface sometime."
"Thanks. Good night Bruce."
"Good night."
"Mornin lass." Kate's eyes were opening up, waking from her dreamless sleep to a strange yet familiar voice. Stretching her arms above her head she turned towards the voice and opened her eyes as much as she could. There in the flesh stood Gavin and Molly Fraser looking at her with happy expressions. She exploded out of bed and knocked her old friend to the ground with her rolling to his side still holding onto his neck.
"Gavin!! Oh my god! MOLLY!!!!" She had looked up at her other closest friend to see a rather sizable bulge protruding out from her abdomen.
"Six months Kate." She smiled down at her husband and a shocked Katherine looking at the tangled mess they were on the floor. "Nothings changed eh?" She mused.
"Everything's changed! You're having a baby?" Kate looked down at a sheepish looking Gavin. "Aye thought it was about time to have some young lads running around." His grin looked like he had slept with a hanger in his mouth. Kate on the other hand was in complete shock.
"Why didn't you tell me?!"
"What do you mean lads you wee gallus! It could just as easily be a girl!"
"Um hello? Where was I during all this?"
"Well Katie, we didn't know how to approach ye. Ye ken?"
"No I do not understand! My two best friends are starting a family! I kind of want to know about these things!"
"Leaning back on his elbows and still residing on the floor, Gavin looked at his friend with a devilish grin. " I know but we're hear now, to tell you in person ye ungrateful besom."
"I ought to smash your face in for that, but I can't get over how happy I am to see you!"
Leaning down she hugged him again and then rose to devote some time to Molly. "You let him call ye a besom! You must be in a right good mood then."
"You have no idea."
After gorging themselves on the tasty dinner provided by Alfred, Gavin, Molly, Kate, and Bruce all sat around one of the many libraries in Wayne Manor. They seemed to all be exchanging stories on Kate and her accident prone nature.
"Cheeky wee gal was talking some rubbish to a colleague about the new director of her section and low and behold she was insultin' the man right to his face!" Gavin grabbed his stomach to comfort the pains of excessive laughter.
"Alright, I think that's enough for tonight if you please. We all know I seem to find myself in strange situations!"
"Like when ye got lost on the trail to the lake? Good lord Katie! Then you fell right into the lake cause ye weren't watching where you were going?"
"Bruce don't listen to them, I am not that daft."
He leaned in to whisper, his breath making her skin rush with goose bumps. "Perhaps not daft….clumsy might be more accurate." She slapped him on the arm with a huff.
"Well, fine I can play at this game too. Remember when Gavin got drunk and peed all over the local Kirk? Perhaps then the time when Molly tripped and chipped her tooth the day before the wedding, or how bout the time when Gavin and you were both so drunk that you puked on the bartender as they threw you out and then later on the dog while I put you to bed?
"Touché madam, touché! Well then, may I change the subject to something a bit more serious?"
"Anything would be better than this current roast!" Kate grabbed her glass of wine from the table in front of her and took a long pull of the sweet liquid.
"What do we know about Batman?"
"What do you mean?"
"We haven't talked about what happened to you since we got here Kate. I read some of the local newspaper columns online before we came, trying to find out about this creature or man or what have ye."
"I couldn't tell you much. I was passed out the entire time. Bruce, could you offer some information on the masked man?"
Bruce kept his reserve and spoke like the playboy he had grown used to playing. "I only know what the papers say as well. All we know is that he clearly has issues." Taking a drink of his wine a thought occurred to him.Speaking of which, I do need to find a way to leave soon.
Kate looked up at him, surprised at his new tone.
"How do they know it was him that brought you back?" Molly was starting to feel a bit confused.
"That would be because Alfred saw this vigilante leave her on the door step." Bruce offered with a cool and calm air about him.
"How do we know that thing wasna apart of this from the beginning? He could compromise your safety Kate."Leaning forward on his knees her longtime friend looked grave.
"I think if that had been an issue, we would have already been affronted with it. It's been a little over a week since I've been hiding and nothing peculiar has happened yet." Kate got up off the sofa and moved toward the window where Bruce was standing, to pour another glass of wine.
Unsatisfied with Kate's answer Gavin gave a gruff snort. She turned putting her hands on her hips. "Come on! It's not as though I'm unprotected, Bruce here seems a fair bonnie fighter as you would put it."
"While we're on the topic, how did you know I could teach you to fight?" He had been meaning to ask that for awhile now.
"Uncle Alfred." Her answer was simple and short, indicating a touchy subject.
"Alfred?" Bruce raised an eyebrow in question.
"I don't think he meant to tell me, but one afternoon we were eh, talking about you and our conversation led…..well lets just say that he said you practiced martial arts." She kept her eyes averted from his gaze, giving him no way to read her face.
"You were talking about me?" He leaned in closer, faintly smelling her fragrant perfume.
His charming voice created a jolt in her stomach that left her reeling. "Molly, I think it may rain here as much as it does n Scotland. It never seems to let up." Pulling her gaze to the window, she hoped that her friend would help her out.
"I know what you mean, I feel right at home here." Molly could help but smile at Kate's bad attempt to divert the conversation to a safer subject. "So what were you saying about this fine braw lad?" Both Kate and Bruce's faces were priceless as they turned abruptly toward her.
"Molly!"
"What? Och please, you can't stay angry with a pregnant woman for god's sake!"
Gavin choked on his wine. "My dear Molly that's why I love ye so much, wicked woman!"
Kate blushed furiously, and decided that she would change the subject. "Is that thunder?"
Even Bruce felt that it may be time to change the subject. For him it would lead to dangerous ground. "I think it is. I wonder if lightning will strike..." While Bruce was mid sentence the room went dark. "Kate?" He groped around where she was last standing, when his hand touched her solid form he grabbed her waist and pulled her firmly away from the window.
"Bruce, what's happening?" Without removing his hand he pushed her behind him.
"Gavin? Molly?" He spoke low with a harsh and intimidating growl.
"Aye, we're here." Gavin spoke in true Scottish style, loud.
"Stay there, I'm going to check on Alfred and see what's going on. Katherine?"
"Yes." She answered by leaning in and whispered in his ear.
A jolt of electricity shot through him, a feeling he hadn't felt before.
"Stay here with your friends and don't leave this room. Do you understand?"
"Where else would I go? I'm sure it's just the storm Bruce."
"I'm not taking any chances." With that he grabbed her elbow and led her gently to the coach where she had been previously been sitting. She sat down and watched his shadow disappear into the dark.
"Katie?"
"Yes?"
"He's in love with you."
"Gavin, what are you going on about?"
"I ken a man in love when I see one. He's looking at you the way I look at Molly."
"He's right love, that man just walked like a soldier into the dark because he thinks you may be in danger, taking no heed that something may happen to him."
Kate hadn't thought about it that way. What if Bruce did get hurt?
"Don't you mind though love, I'm sure it was just the storm." Gavin spoke mechanically as though trying to convince himself.
Kate was hardly listening to them. She only had one thing on her mind. Bruce, in love with me?
Time seemed to pass slowly as they sat there in the dark. At Gavin's request he and Kate began a rather strange drinking game. Molly listened, amused as her husband and friend got roaring drunk in the dark, awaiting the arrival of Bruce.
"Now Katie, how many fingers am I holding up?"
"Five?"
"Drink up mate, I was holdin' up nine!"
"Damn! I was so close!"
"Not really love." Molly had to mock her a little; this was the only way it seemed she could participate.
"Now, I have guessed my five times and lost five times. Good grief, how many times did I just say five? At this revelation Kate began to laugh hysterically.
"She's drunk as a bar maid! Gavin rolled around laughing as well.
"Well Mr. Fraser I would say you're a little pissed yourself."
"Molly, do I shound ath all drunk?"
"Quiet you two! I see a light in the hall!"
"What?" Gavin rolled up suddenly sobering a bit "Where?"
"Just over there to the right." Molly looked over at Kate still in hysterics. "Do be quiet Kate!"
"Five times five is twenty-five!!"
"My goodness, how drunk is my niece?" Entering the room with a large candle in hand, Alfred was greeted with the sight of Katherine rolling on the floor muttering nonsense about fives.
"Let's just say she's not sober." Molly offered.
"Sorry about the wait, Master Wayne wanted to make sure the manor was safe, which as you can imagine is a time consuming task."
"Oh yes I understand. Are you going to show us back to our room then? I wouldn't dare try to find my way on my own in this labyrinth."
"Yes, just let me attend to Kate first." Making his way through the room, he knelt down pulling Kate up and set her on the couch. She had begun to calm down, and her eyes began drooping with the exhaustion of alcohol and laughter.
"Did you know that Bruce was in love with me?" Her voice was barely audible with the approach of sleep.
Understanding that she may not remember this in the morning he answered, "Yes my dear, I did."
"He's a crazy lout."
"Well that would be beside the point wouldn't it?" He heard Molly laugh in the background.
"Did he tell you?"
"He didn't need to dear." He covered her with a blanket, staring at her as she shut her eyes while she muttered. For the first time since he'd seen her she looked truly happy.
Kate slowly opened her eyes to realize that she was still in the same room that she was in earlier. "Damn you Gavin." She muttered as she felt a headache come on from a long evening of drinking. She turned to her side feeling utterly wretched wondering why she was down here alone. As she gazed out from her new position she noticed a bottle of aspirin and a glass of water on the table in front of her. Mentally thanking god that she had such a thoughtful uncle, she threw back three pills and drank the whole glass down. Judging by the light she figured it was about five in the morning, too early for anyone else to be up and about. The sun was just starting to show itself to the world, its small rays giving a faint glow to her surroundings. Sitting up, Kate stretched and waited for the aspirin to kick in. Five in the morning seemed so familiar to her. She couldn't seem to place her finger on it, but something about the time made her want to giggle. About fifteen minutes had passed, and Kate had begun to feel a bit better. She often counted herself lucky; it was a rare day that she suffered from a hangover.
Deciding to start her day, she went upstairs to change and go for a run. Running always helped when she felt fatigued and drained, something not many people understood. After she had changed and threw her hair up in a pony tail, she went towards the kitchen and out one of the backdoors. Without stretching, she started out at a light jog, warming up her body. She didn't know the property well, but decided to just go where she liked, determining that she would find her way back regardless. After about ten minutes she sped up and headed for a patch of wilderness on the west end, going into the trees. She found the imprint of an informal trail and decided to follow it.
She took a corner, seeing a clearing ahead and ran head first into something very sturdy.
"Oof!" Was all she managed as she knocked the thing over and fell ungracefully to the ground. Steadying her breathing she looked over to see Bruce Wayne grimacing in what looked like pain.
"Are you ok?"
He looked over and laughed. "Look's like you finally succeeded in knocking me to the ground."
"I guess so. Hey what happened to you last night?"
"Oh, I had some work that needed to be done."
"In the dark?"
"No, I had to go to Wayne Tower. I just got back about an hour ago."
"So you don't sleep all night, and then you go out for a run? Are you super human?"
"Work-a-holic."
"We have that in common."
"Here…" Bruce pulled himself up and extended his hand to Kate.
Once she was on her feet she blurted, "Bruce?"
"Yeah." He looked up while he brushed leaves and dirt off his shirt.
"I have the feeling that you're responsible for some of the better things that have been happening to me in the last two weeks. I need you to let me thank you. Thank you for Gavin and Molly, the protection you're providing, and anything else you've done so stealthily."
"Obviously I wasn't being stealthy enough."
"Bruce, I have to ask, are you the anonymous donor?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Someone donated money for my exhibition and it's because of them that the opening won't be until I get back. I am asking you. Are you that person?"
"I wear many hats, but I do not think that's one of them."
"Are you sure?" She eyed him intently looking for any sign that he was lying.
"Yes."
"Damn. I thought for sure it was you!"
"We should head back." Bruce desperately wanted to change the subject.
"Yeah, can we walk though? I feel dead tired."
Bruce nodded and led the way.
They made idol conversation as they made their way through the secluded patch of nature. Soon they were in front of the back door area that Kate had exited from just awhile earlier.
She was clearly staring at him making him feel a bit annoyed. "Kate, what are looking at?"
"It's just, well I can't place it but…..did we talk last night?"
"Yes?" He looked at with that knowing smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"I mean after you left. Did you come back?"
"No."
"Its just…...I feel like we talked about something and I just can't remember what it was."
"I don't think we talked about anything important, maybe your thinking of Alfred or Gavin?"
As he looked at her, realization hit her like a ton of bricks. "He's in love with you." Suddenly, with bravery she didn't know she had, Kate leaned towards Bruce and kissed him lightly on the lips. At first the shock was apparent in his meager response, but it was only a moments worth of hesitation. It wasn't long before she wrapped her arms around him drawing him closer to her as he kissed her passionatly. Their tongues began to explore each other as they surrendered to whatever it was that was happening. Just as soon as it had started though, it was over. They both had become aware of a noise coming from Kate's pocket.
Bruce pulled away reluctantly trying to puzzle out what that noise was. "It's my phone." Kate reached into the pocket of her running pants and answered it.
"Hello?"
"Katherine, its Detective Gordon. It looks like we have some good news."
Ah! I leave you hanging! I hope that you all enjoyed this update, and thank you again to all those that reviewed! It makes my day! I hope this chapter felt lighter than the previous. Things were pretty heavy there and I felt that we needed abit more humor. So what do you think? Do you like the new arrivals? Let me know, all you have to do is click the little purple button and make my day!
Love ya guys!!
