Chapter 10

Mein Apologies for the long wait! I'm so sorry, but I've been super busy and have lost a little bit of my motivation to continue writing this story. Sorry, bur I just enjoy writing X-men fanfiction more.

School is also starting relatively soon in my area...so...updates may be even less frequent. I PROMISE I WILL TRY THOUGH! All of my readers have been super supportive and a huge thank you to WinterRain 36. If it wasn't for you, I probably wouldn't even have posted this chapter. You seriously rock! I'll do by best to keep up with this story. I made this chapter extra long, for all you love people out there.

Enjoy this Chapter! I hope it's good! :)

Bella leaned back into the uncomfortably hard chairs at Bell Fontaine and took a sip of her drink. This was going to be a long lunch, and she wasn't entirely sure she was prepared for it. Even though Nancy had firmly stated this was a casual and friendly get together, Bella couldn't help but feeling like she was at a business dinner. The woman in front of her, Nancy, held several large binders, each brimming with its own sort of meticulously color-coded information.

To most people in Gotham, Nancy Phillips was a horrible control freak, but Bella, on this occasion at least, could see behind her well-manicured façade. While Nancy said she wanted this party to be perfect because they Gotham Living Committee would moist definitely be stopping by, she thought that she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she screwed up her daughter's first birthday with her new parents. Nancy wasn't that bad, you just had to look into the depths of her mind to get an idea of who she really was.

"Should I go with the coral pink or the tulip yellow?"

Nancy's voice caused Bella to jerk upright suddenly. She just realized she hadn't been listening to a word Nancy had said.

"Personally, I'd choose the pink."

Being a telepath allowed people certain advantages in life, Bella thought as Nancy beamed up at her. She had said exactly what Nancy had wanted to hear. Nancy loved the color pink for a second birthday party, but was afraid that yellow would look prettier on Zara's dark skin.

She was practically pining for a second opinion, which Bella was more than happy to provide.

As sudden cry caused both women to jump out of their respective seats and look downward. Two sighs of relief were uttered the second Zara was noticed in her baby carrier.

The small girl was reaching up for a star on the carrier's handle, but to her utmost dismay found that her arms were too short and stubby. Nancy handed her the star without a moment's hesitation. Both women were quiet for a while.

"I can't believe I almost lost her," Nancy said quietly. "Now, now that she's here, I can't even imagine what life would be like without her."

"I know," Bella smiled at Nancy sympathetically. "Believe me, I know. But, all that matters now is that she is here and she is safe, Nancy."

The second the words left Bella's mouth, Nancy burst into tears. Bella could do nothing else but smile. She couldn't tell Nancy that the girl's kidnappers weren't going to kill her; that would just raise suspicion. There really was nothing more she could do.

"So, are we going with unicorn cake or the teddy bear cupcakes?"

"Sir, you've just been invited to Zara Phillip's birthday party."

Bruce didn't even look up from the keyboard.

"Sir."

"I heard you Alfred, it's just that I don't see why I should go. She's two, she won't even remember the party afterwards and I was planning on taking out Richter that evening. I need time to prepare."

"Master Wayne, perhaps you should reconsider your options. You have all the time in the world to take out any crime boss you please this weekend, though I'd much rather you take a lovely lady out to dinner instead, and it would be a prime opportunity to talk business with Andrew Phillips. He is the head of Wayne Industries legal department, is he not?"

"I can talk to Andrew at time at the office."

"Did I mention Ms. Xavier would be in attendance?"

"Alfred."

"Yes, Master Wayne?"

"Are you trying to set me up?"

"That, Master Bruce, is entirely up to you."

Zara giggled happily as Bella danced a tiny dragon around the edge of her high chair. Her tiny pink dress and matching shoes looked absolutely darling, despite her mother's initial fears. Nancy had pulled of the event in as close to humanely perfection as possible. Now, Bella sat trying to amuse her soon-to-be godchild, while the child's mother ran about checking over every last detail.

"Anabella?"

"Hm."

"Would you be a dear and run this guest list over to the men at the front? I can't seem to find Slyvia."

"Of course. Do you want me to take the birthday girl as well?"

Nancy turned around. She looked beyond tired.

"Would you mind?"

"Not at all."

And with that being said, Bella picked up Zara and headed toward the front of the girl's home. Just as Nancy had said, two men dressed in black suits were standing near it. Bella glanced over at them. They hadn't seen her yet.

"Now, be quiet for your Aunty Bella, all right?"

Zara just stared back.

"Good girl."

Bella carefully opened the envelope Nancy gave her. It would probably be a good idea to double check the guest list just in case. If Cobblepot was on it, there'd definitely be trouble. Sure enough, he was.

Bella sighed. "Just my luck, huh Zara?"

She grabbed a pen from the nearby desk and quickly crossed out his name. She made sure her lines were neat and straight, so they looked like Nancy made them. Scanning the list yet again for any other unwanted visitors, she paused over one name, Bruce Wayne.

"So, it looks like you have nothing to worry about Zara," she said. "The Batman, himself is going to be at your party."

Outside the confines of Richard and Nancy's home, several men with painted faces were setting up what looked to be a canon of sorts. Normally, this would have caused quite a conundrum and the men would have been evicted from the premises, but this was Zara's birthday and they were setting up in the relatively abandoned back gardens.

Actually, the gardens were wholly abandoned except for the main gardener who had a bullet in his forehead. Sadly, he wasn't going to be able to stop the two suspicious men.

"Where is Mario?"

Nancy Phillips was visibly freaking out as she stood in front of her home.

"Those hedges were so not trimmed today."

Bella couldn't help, but agree. An untrimmed hedge could ruin the "element" of the party.

Once Nancy went around the side of her house and the men by the door were looking the other way, Bella closed her eyes. Slowly, leaves began to float off the hedge and into a neat pile around the roots of a large tree. Personally, Bella thought it made the Phillps' home more welcoming.

"I could have sworn the top of this hedge was uneven a second ago," cried Nancy in surprise. She had returned.

Bella shrugged, attempting to be nonchalant.

"Shall we go back…inside then?" Nancy still seemed concerned about the hedge.

"Yes," Bella cried immediately.

She ushered both Nancy and Baby Zara inside the house, towards the sounds of the party.

Richard, Bruce, and a couple other executives sat in the corner of the large room, ignoring the rest of the party. Richard had been taking about how he had just sealed a hue lawsuit against a rival company. Bruce knew he should be listening, but couldn't bring himself to. Instead, he found his eyes wandering, looking around at the rest of the party.

It wasn't long before he found Bella. She was standing near Nancy and he could tell she wasn't paying attention either. She had that same blasé expression that donned his face more than he would like to admit. All of a sudden Bella turned around and they're eyes met. She looked a little worried, but it was almost like…she was happy to see him. Bruce quickly shook the thoughts out of his head. As the Batman, he didn't have time for such things.

Eventually, Bruce's social group dissipated and he found himself walking toward Bella. She was standing by herself with a faraway expression on her face. She was unlike anyone in Gotham and anyone Bruce had ever met with her unfailing optimism. Something about her intrigued him that was for sure.

Bruce halted abruptly. A living breathing penguin…had just waddled right in front of him. Upon looking around, he discovered there were several more in the room. He seriously doubted that they were part of the party. What did penguins have to do with "pretty pink princesses"( the party's theme according to Nancy)? Suddenly, Bruce realized something, something important.

Cobblepot associated himself with penguins and they were penguins at this party. Cobblepot had also kidnapped Zara. He definitely couldn't be happy that one of his thugs went Benedict Arnold on him and turned her in to the police station, safe and sound.

The thug's fingerprints were matched from the goo on the wall and Bruce was confident that he was the one who really saved Zara. Gordon had been talking about another vigilante, but thankfully his opinionated claims were disputed, with facts.

There were more pressing matters at hand then Bruce's lone vigilante status. The people in this room were in danger. Bruce continued to make his way toward Bella, he wanted to make sure she would be safe. Just as he reached over, she looked at him. Her eyes were wide.

"Wha-"

"GET DOWN!" Bella screamed from the top of her lungs.

Everyone in the room turned to look over at the two of them. Within seconds a mega-canon came smashing through the adjacent wall.

So, a fictional penny for your thoughts? How'd you like my penguins? Is there anything you'd like to see in this story? Adios! ;)