Recalled to Life by Reya Wild
Disclaimer: I do not own Batman or any creaters associated with the franchise. They all belong to their respective owners. I only own the original character created soley for this story.
Summary, RATED M: As Gotham falls into a state of dystopia, citizens try to survive and get by without inciting the wrath of the rogues and mobs. While Commisioner Gordon leads a resistance, a woman uses all her abilities to make some kind of difference in the lives of those the rest of the nation forgot, that is until she catches the attention of Bane himself.
Chapter Eight: It Was the Worst of Times
For the days after Bane's reasoning behind not raping her, Riley felt out of sorts. For the first time, he managed to unsettle her so wholly that she constantly felt on edge and unsure. Since she couldn't move around very much thanks to her sprained ankle, she took up reading on the balcony. Hobbling there from her room was a feat in itself, and she was ready to be healed up already.
The way Bane took care of her injuries left her feeling odd. It took her a awhile to realize what he did to her since it did a number on her head, and she was glad that the epiphany hit her when it did. His kindness and gentle treatment of her body was just another manipulative ploy. It was a very thoughtful way to break her down, and he was doing it in a way that was so unassuming that she hadn't noticed it.
"He's trying to Stockholm me," she murmured aloud. Hearing it said cemented it. Bane was her captor, and his act of kindness hadn't been kindness at all. It was merely the absence of his cruelty. She was beginning to wonder if he was even capable of such a feat. The realization made her bristle, strengthening her resolve to be difficult. He'd gotten a reprieve for the first few days, and she understood now that he'd been pleased with her sudden complacency. She hadn't had the urge to fight with him since she was trying to wrap her mind around what he'd done for her.
Not only had that, but the words that he'd said to her cut her down. He made her feel lesser than him like she wasn't even human. It was a relief that she wasn't rape worthy to him, but she needed to remind him that she was a living, breathing, sentient person. She was getting caught up in this game that she was beginning to lose herself, but she wasn't going to let that happen. She was on to him now, and she knew she was dealing with a very clever manipulator. It meant that she had to tread more carefully as she played this game with him.
Her head suddenly felt clearer, and Riley felt like herself again. When Bane returned that evening, she showed him so.
"I do hope you're not becoming too complacent simply because of a sprained ankle," he remarked when he entered, finding her lounging on the couch. Riley wasn't reading this time. She was laid out on her back, eyes closed, with her hands resting primly on her stomach. It looked as though she was sleeping, but her alert reply informed him otherwise.
"Even if I was at my one hundred percent, there's nothing for me to do around here except read or exercise. Oh, and those wonderful walks we go on, Master," she snapped at him. Her lips curved into a slight smirk because it felt so good to sass him, to reestablish who she was again. "Besides, you and I both know that you just have your monster panties in a twist because I'm not fetching your slippers and meeting you at the door when you come home."
There a noticeable silence that stretched between them, and Riley liked to think that for the first time she'd stunned him speechless.
Bane recovered quickly, and she could feel him move closer to her until he stood over her.
"This is unfortunate, Rabbit, and here I thought we were beginning to see eye to eye," he said to her. His voice, all rough lilting words, was even though she could feel it thundering around her.
"How can we see eye to eye when I'm below you?"
Her retort was saucy, and she couldn't help as her smirk widened. There was only the sound of his mechanical breathing. With her eyes stilled closed, she couldn't see his expression, but she could imagine that he wasn't at all pleased with her. Even when she felt his fingers lace through her hair, hand guard bumping harshly against her scalp, she didn't let the expression drop. Bane yanked her upwards so that she was eye to eye with him. Riley let out a soft groan of pain at the way her tugged so sharply on her hair, and she was forced to look at him. They were nearly nose to nose as her feet tried to find purchase on the couch.
"You are an impudent creature today, girl," he snapped at her, words coming out like a jagged growl.
Through her pain, she remained persistent with her defiance. "Oh, good. I was hoping you'd notice."
He tossed her down on the floor like a ragdoll, her body banging against the edge of the coffee table during her fall. Riley felt the breath get knocked out of her upon landing.
"You're asking to be punished then?" Bane asked her lazily as he pulled out the crop. He held it firmly in his hand, and for once, she looked forward to feeling the sting of it bite into her flesh. Maybe this experience was turning her into a little bit of a masochist, but each lash meant that she was doing something. It meant that she was still fighting.
"I'm asking for you to go fuck yourself."
It was the icing on the cake, and no longer could Bane hold back his temple with her. Angrily, he advanced on her and yanked down her shirt at her shoulder. There was a bandage over her previous lashes that she'd been dutifully changing on her own ever since he'd taken care of her, but now he simply ripped it off and tossed it aside. The welt had gone down, and there were only scabs of what was so severe before.
"Count," he ordered her. "Count and think on your insolence."
The first lash came down hard, making her cry out. It hurt terribly on top of the pain that was already there, but she resolutely didn't do what asked of her. Bane paused only for a moment, waiting for her to count the one lash, and when she didn't, he struck her again with more force.
Riley squeezed her eyes shut as the crop came down on her tender skin over and over again. She wasn't strong enough to hold back her yelps and cries, and she truly hated the way tears began to leak from the corner of her eyes.
It was fifteen hard lashes in all, the most she'd ever gotten at one time. She'd never been this mouthy with him, and his lashes usually ended with five at the most. Although she hadn't counted out loud as he wanted her to, she kept track in her mind. She'd focus on the sense of liveliness that the pain brought her. The pain was her friend because he was punishing her for being her instead of what he wanted her to be. She was still Riley Watson, Riley Gray, and the girl she'd once been twelve years ago. She wouldn't let Bane take away from her. She wouldn't be his Rabbit.
Warm, sticky liquid flowed down her shoulder and arms. Riley knew that her shoulder must look like a mauled mess after being struck several times in the same place. Even when they healed, she'd wear his mark permanently on her body, but she was determined to see it badges of war, not defeat.
"For your sake, I hope your disposition improves," he rumbled as he released her. Bane straightened up, walking over her prone body, to his own room. As he withdrew to his own sanctuary, she caught sight of the crop, damp from her punishment, as it cried droplets of her blood along the smooth tiled floor.
Riley smiled at his retreating back because she might be suffering from physical pain, she had made a point. He wasn't the chivalrous knight he was trying to confuse her with. He was just a monster with a mask, and he was very talented at changing that mask to throw her off.
Now she knew better. The knowledge made her stronger against him.
Taking care of her back was difficult. Bane wasn't looking to help her. He was still irritated with her actions that put her in this predicament. She cleaned up the wounds best as she could without help, and she hissed at the way the rubbing alcohol burned against her open cuts. It took some creative maneuvering, but she managed to rub some ointment and get a bandage on it after several tries. It ached to move that shoulder too much, but she made do.
After nearly a week, her ankle wasn't as strained anymore, and she was able to move about close to normally again. Her shoulder was still a mess, but that would take longer to heal. She continued to be difficult for Bane although nothing to the extreme like that day. Sometimes she allowed herself to be compliant to make things easier on her, but she made sure to still pick fights with him.
Their relationship returned to its electric, dangerous charged state as it had been before she sprained her ankle. It frustrated Bane at first to have to go a few steps back, but reminded himself that this would only make his victory over her even more delicious. Helping Talia fulfill her father's destiny was his life's work, and he remained steadfastly remained loyal to her. Riley, on the other hand, kept him entertained when his work was done for the day. Talia couldn't see him as frequently as he would have liked, so he had his side project to busy himself with.
When Bane rescued Riley from being raped, he'd been reminded of Talia in a way. She was a fighter yet possessed an inherent goodness in her, a light that had shined so brightly in the shadow that he couldn't resist to help prevent it from being snuffed out.
When they met again, he realized that her light not only radiated, but it burned as well. There was something incendiary about her even in her fear, and it intrigued her. He'd been all too delighted to discover that the thief Pross had brought him turned out to be her. Bane was still having problems with the supply drops, courtesy of the two thieves still out there, but they were the least of his concern. Their successful Robin Hood attempts gave Gotham hope, and he knew how hope could poison the soul in the face of defeat.
He could've easily interrogated Riley to give up her accomplices, but he had bigger plans for her. She was his pet, his Rabbit. They were already having such a bumpy journey together, but he was confident that she would be singing a much different tune in the months they had left together.
For now, he kept a watchful eye on her and dealt with her disobedience with force. She'd become more than intimate with the crop, and sometimes he sensed that she almost relished the punishment. He couldn't have that. Punishment should break her down, not strengthen her.
Bane should have known that she was too troublesome when thoughts of her infiltrated his mind during the time he spent away from her. He had a plan to keep to. He had Talia to please. Thinking of ways to break down his pet was a distraction he couldn't afford. Everything was in place, but he was a smart enough man to know that regimes toppled every day.
Annoyed with himself, he took his frustration out on the poor soul that had been caught working with Gordon's resistance. Without any preamble, Bane snapped his neck and inhaled the sense of power it brought him. He felt centered again and back in his right mind. Riley would be something he dealt with later when his work was done for the day. For now, he had a resistance to keep at bay.
Reading on the balcony was something Riley could only do during the brightest parts of the day. It was cold enough now that Gotham was beginning to become dark and overcast easily from the winter season. They were beginning to get snowfall, and it brought her a little bit of joy. She'd always enjoyed the snow though she never cared for the cold that accompanied it. Her preference was to be warm, and she savored the hotter seasons. The only reason she could tolerate the cold was because of how pretty the snow was.
It was cumbersome to read outside since she had to make sure she was bundled up to remain comfortable. A simple blanket couldn't do on its own anymore. She'd just finished Watership Down and Of Mice and Men when she decided to head back into the warmth of the condo. Riley was busy unwrapping herself of her winter overclothes, so she didn't notice her new company until she looked up.
"Miss Tate?" she gasped out in surprise. Her eyes had widened comically because she hadn't expected Miranda Tate of all people to be here. The woman looked as well-dressed and elegant as ever, and it made Riley wonder how she managed it during this time of need and desperation. She scuttled forward quickly with a concerned look. "Oh my god. Are you okay? Did Bane kidnap you too?"
Miranda's red lips twitched into a wan smile. She didn't answer at first, choosing instead to study Riley. Slim fingers reached out to brush back Riley's hair which had gotten messy and flattened from the winter hat she wore. Those same fingers moved to dance along her collar until she gripped the heart dog tag curiously.
"What an interesting name," she said finally.
"Uh, no," Riley said awkwardly. "My name is Riley. Riley Watson. I worked for Wayne Enterprises in the IT department."
The other woman's gaze didn't look up to acknowledge her, staring intently at her tag.
"So he named you then?"
"It's a really long and frankly degrading story."
Riley didn't want to go into a lot of detail although she felt quite relieved to have a familiar face even if she hadn't known Miranda Tate beyond what she knew from the news and through work. Somehow Bane had managed to capture her too. She had snarked at him before about choosing a pet of better pedigree. Maybe this was his choice.
She grew cold all over. Would Bane tolerate two pets or would he put down the useless, problematic one? Suddenly, it wasn't such a nice thing to have Miranda around. Not that she had anything against the woman, but having her here really threw a wrench in her plans. Bane didn't trust her, and she didn't have any sort of escape plan in mind, at least not one that involved her jumping off the balcony.
"Talia," Bane's voice called from behind them at the door. Riley was confused, wondering for a moment if he had renamed Miranda as well. If so, she felt a flash of indignation because Talia was a much better name than Rabbit. At least Talia sounded like it could belong to a person.
A bright winning smile crossed Miranda's features as she turned to look at him.
"I was just getting to know your pet, my dearest," she said to him in her sweet, accented voice, reaching behind her to stroke Riley's hair once more. In response, Riley jerked against her touch and looked between the two of them with growing horror.
Miranda wasn't here because she'd been captured. She was here of her own free will, and it seemed as though she and Bane were allied with one another. Her mind began working overtime as she tried to figure out how long and how deep this partnership stemmed. Miranda had been on the board at Wayne Enterprises for goodness sake!
Bane was able to read all the emotions playing out across her features, and he addressed her curtly. "To your room, Rabbit."
Her expression closed, and she gave him a brazen glare. She stood her ground staring at him.
"To your room or I promise you will regret it," he said again. His tone was dangerous, much deadlier than she'd ever heard it before. Riley hesitated for a moment before storming off. Just because he sent her away didn't mean that she couldn't eavesdrop.
From behind her, she heard Miranda say disapprovingly to Bane, "She is a temperamental creature."
There was a deep, rumbling laughter from him. "It means I will reap more gratification from breaking her spirit."
Riley's door slammed loudly behind her.
She sulked for a little bit, trying to give them time to lower their guards. Riley was curious to see what their connection was and what they were planning. She paced her room for a good fifteen minutes before giving in. Quietly, she opened her door a crack to try and listening. She could hear their voices faintly from her room, but it wasn't enough. Making sure to take slow, quiet steps, she padded down the hallway to get closer.
"Everything is going according to your plan," she heard Bane's voice say. There was something different about his tone, and she couldn't pinpoint what it was.
"Gordon is up to something. I can feel it in my bones. I cannot allow him to ruin everything we've worked so hard to build."
Miranda or Talia or whoever she was sounded contrite and vexed. There was a rustling noise before either of them spoke again.
"Fret not, sweet Talia," Bane said gently. "My people have been ordered to kill him on sight, and anyone involved with his scheming are to be brought to me for interrogation."
"We are so close. So close."
"Your father's destiny will be fulfilled, and you shall reign on top when this city is nothing but ashes."
They continued to speak softly to one another, and when Riley felt like they were distracted enough, she carefully peered around the corner to sight the two of them wrapped in each other's arms. Miranda was pressed snugly against Bane's broad chest while his arms wrapped around her, holding her as if she were to break if he held her too hard. Her hands cradled his face, rubbing her thumbs along the angry lines of his mask.
The scene was startling enough to behold, but it was Bane's expression that knocked the breath out of her. She'd never seen him like that. His face was soft and gentle as he gazed down at the woman before him, and in his eyes, she could see utter adoration and devotion in them. Miranda was the center of his universe, and nothing was going to change that. She understood now what was so odd about his tone when he spoke to her. There had been love there, an emotion she thought he wasn't even capable of.
Something inside of Riley shifted oddly, and she was beginning to figure out that eavesdropping and spying on them was a terrible idea indeed. This wasn't a side to Bane she ever wanted to see, nor did she ever want to know that it even existed. The monster wasn't supposed to have complex layers. He was supposed to be a terrible beast, through and through. Everything he'd done to Gotham, its citizens and to her was deplorable.
He wasn't allowed to be hopelessly in love with a woman.
That made things complicated. It made him more human, and she didn't want to see him as one.
Scathingly, she figured that she wasn't too surprised. Miranda always held a certain charisma about her. She was a popular businesswoman and socialite who was often seen in the company of many handsome and rich men including Bruce Wayne before Gotham went straight to hell.
Riley wasn't sure if she made some sort of noise because she wasn't conscious of it, but suddenly Bane's expression became steely and closed off as he looked up. He spotted her immediately, and she jerked back down the hallway.
Miranda's response was a lilting laugh.
"Seems as though your troublesome pet is up to no good again," she teased him before tugging on her coat. "It's all very well. I must get going now before Lucius starts to worry."
Riley was quietly tucked away in her room as the two said goodbye, and she knew that she'd feel his wrath in no time. Sure enough, he came barging into her room lividly moments later. She felt silly for feeling like a child that had been caught awake past her bedtime especially since the consequences would be much more severe.
"So the crop?" she said conversationally, beginning to tug off her shirt to expose her back to him. She wasn't going to kid herself that he was going to decide against punishing her. Riley had invaded upon a very personal moment, seeing Bane in a way that she guessed no one else save for Miranda did. Or Talia if that was her actual name.
"No, not the crop for you, you ill-mannered, insubordinate, brat," he snarled at her. He advanced upon her, seizing her from her bed. This was a new turn of events since the crop had been a standard form of punishment between them. Instinctively, she knew she had to struggle against whatever he had planned for her. She kicked and swung her fists on him, but he simply stunned her with a harsh backhand to her face before he began dragging her body down the hall.
Her struggles renewed as he continued to drag her down the hallway and through the living room, but he kept a firm grip on her forearms. No matter how much she wriggled and kicked her legs, there was no freeing herself form his iron grasp.
Gathering her wrists in one of his hands, he held her tightly as he opened the door the balcony. Bane picked her up and shoved her outside onto the it where she stumbled awkwardly to the ground.
Riley heard the door shut and lock behind her, and she looked up at him in outrage. It was already beginning to get darker, and the temperature was quickly dropping. She felt the cold wrap around her exposed body, and she saw her winter clothes lying scattered on the other side through the slim glass panels.
Seeing his smug, expectant expression, she knew that this was her punishment. Riley had an aversion to the cold, and he'd noticed it. Now he was going to leave her out there until she quite possibly froze to death.
Refusing to go down without a fight, she got to her feet and began pounding at the door. Her fists slammed against it as she screamed all sorts of angry words and expletives. She made threats that she knew that she could never follow through with, but it made her feel like she was doing something.
Most of all, it distracted her from how cold it was. Her fury gave her body a surge of energy and heat that staved off the chill that crept into her body. She was sure her screams and shouts could be heard throughout the city. No doubt, everyone in the building could hear her. Her fists began to ache from the constant batter of the door, and at one point, she picked up one of the chairs to throw it. Bane had laughed heartily at that one.
After awhile, she ran out of steam and slid against the door. The hateful expression remained on her face, and Bane continued to watch her with sick amusement.
Her body began to kick into gear, shivering violently to preserve heat and energy. She was barefoot and dressed only in a pair of jeans and a thin sweatshirt. Riley was glad he hadn't given her enough time to tug off her top for her usual punishment.
Her breathing started to become pants, and she watched as her breath made little white puffs in the air. Snow began to fall and gather around her on the balcony, resting like tiny diamonds along her hair and lashes.
Riley remembered that she needed to keep fighting. She struggled sluggishly to her feet to begin pounding at the door again although not with much force.
"I really fucking hate you," she repeated to him as she said before only this time her voice came softer. It was becoming a struggle to do anything, and it felt like her mind was slowing down. Her coordination grew clumsier, but she did her best to continue pounding at the door. It was a feat for her to be standing up, and when that became a chore, she leaned her body against the door where Bane looked so deliciously warm. He stood there on the other side with his arms crossed, watching her with a self-satisfied expression.
Everything felt numb. She could hardly feel the way her fists banged half-heartedly at the door. All she could think about was how cold it was. It was everywhere all around her, and worse, it had sunk deep inside to her core. A sense of apathy blanketed her foggy mind.
Unconsciously, her words of hate transformed into something else entirely. Instead of cursing Bane and everything he was, her lips began to form around familiar syllables that brought her comfort.
"Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit," she muttered to herself, curling up against the door to find warmth from somewhere deep inside of her. "As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end."
Riley continued to repeat the words, over and over, not even conscious that she was saying them. Her mind was beginning to wander miles away to another place, another lifetime.
She thought about Michael's smile and the way his kisses sent shivers down her spine like body was doing now. Her lips, beginning to turn a very faint blue from exposure, tingled as if he'd just kissed her.
Their last kiss had been a casual affair. Before leaving to the hospital, he kissed her gently on the lips before kissing her belly as well for the baby that never was.
She wasn't sure how long she'd been outside in the cold, but she did was somewhat conscious of the fact that she was feeling dazed and out of it. Her body shivered and jerked beyond her control as she continued to chant to herself until the words began to fade into noiselessness and only her lips were moving.
Riley mouthed silently fighting against the tingling feeling throughout her body, letting her eyes droop closed. "As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Author's Note: There, you go. Have a little bit of the punishment that a few of you wanted to see. :) And my goodness, you guys blew me away with all your reviews for the last chapters. I'm over one hundred now, and I can't believe! The love and praise that all of you have shown towards this story is so humbling, but above all, it's inspiring me to get these fast updates out because I know it's so worth it to read how excited you guys are.
To answer some questions, yes, Bane and Riley's relationship does dance on some very D/s concepts. He is her master, and she is his pet. Unlike normal D/s relationships, this is a very unhealthy one where it is non-consensual, and Bane is looking to break and own Riley in every way possible. She is literally lower than him. At the same time, she is still his pet, and whether Bane likes it or not, people end up feeling a sort of, well, fondness is a strong word to use for him, but something akin to that towards their pet. My goal in the next few chapters is to explore the ideas of Riley's Stockholm Syndrome as well as Bane's Lima Syndrome, and how that can possibly cancel each other out and create a romance (though we can all agree it wouldn't be a very stable or sane one).
Again, thank you to all that have read, favorited, followed and review. You guys are just downright brilliant! Also, I'm curious to know if anyone wants to know what songs I use to write this story to inspire me or whether they have songs of their own that they think would fit Bane/Riley well?
Anyway, until next time!
