A/N: Lots of thanks to all those reading this story, I'm glad you are all enjoying it.
"Mr. Wayne," said a voice in front of Bruce who was sitting in the waiting room at Gotham General waiting for news about Sylvia.
He raised his head to look at Doctor Savadra in front and stood.
"Is she alright?" he asked his voice hoarse.
"Physically she's fine. Emotionally, well, she hasn't woken up and the tears have just stopped," the doctor sighed taking his glasses off and rubbing his nose. "To be frank, Mr. Wayne she needs a comforting hand…and lots of them."
"Dr. Savadra, you've been her doctor since she was a child," Bruce said and the doctor nodded, "does she have any family around here?" The doctor sighed again.
"No, Mr. Wayne, you see her parents passed away three years ago in a tragic car accident," the doctor revealed replacing his glasses, "and she was an only child."
"Then she has no one?" Bruce asked in disbelief. When the doctor nodded Bruce's heart sank. "May I see her?" he asked.
"Of course right this way," said Doctor Savadra as he led Bruce to her room.
Her room had a one way mirror so Bruce could see her from the hall. When the doctor moved to open the door Bruce stopped him.
"I'm fine here," he said looking at the woman in the room.
Dr. Savadra excused himself to check on another patient as Bruce watched Sylvia. He couldn't look away from her. She truly was a wonder to him. He looked down the hall and saw that he was alone. He peered back into the room and let his body take over. He walked into the room and stood by her bed. His hand found hers and he gripped it. Not hard but enough to assure himself that she was there.
He gazed down into her tear stained face. She looked peaceful as she slept but he knew she was anything but. Hence why she still was not awake from her faint. Bruce couldn't get her cries out of his head. Her screams echoed over and over in his mind and it only made him grip her hand with his other. This woman who he had only spoken to a hand full of times was-
A knock on the door woke him from his thoughts and he dropped her hand. A man stuck his head in and looked over at Wayne before he looked down at Sylvia. An aura of sadness erupted from the man as he entered the room and moved to Sylvia's other side.
"Mr. Wayne," he greeted quietly looking down at Sylvia. "I can't believe it." he said putting a hand over his mouth moving down to rub his chin.
"And you are?" Bruce asked looking at the man suspiciously.
"Oh I'm sorry, I'm Dave White. I run The Gotham Times," he said outstretching his hand to Wayne.
Bruce shook his hand and looked back down at Sylvia.
"I just can't believe he's gone," Dave said in disbelief watching Sylvia sleep. "Poor girl, she's been through so much."
Dave gently caressed the side of her face. There was a slight pause as he took in a deep breath.
"I knew I shouldn't have let her print that article," he whispered.
Dave's stomach rolled as a new wave of guilt overtook it. Ever since he received the call from the hospital and had watched the news he could not let the feeling go. Sylvia and Marcus were like family and now there was no Marcus. Dave never cried but right now sure felt like a perfect time. He held himself together taking hold of his employees hand.
Bruce felt a twinge of something in him erupt when he saw Dave grab Sylvia's hand. Something he should not be feeling at all.
"I want to thank you Mr. Wayne for getting her here," Dave said sincerely looking into Bruce's face.
"Of course," answered Bruce who was still trying to convince himself that he was not bothered with this man.
A few minutes passed before Dave released her hand and looked at the time.
"I could only come for a few minutes," Dave sighed leaning over to give Sylvia a kiss on the forehead making the corner of Bruce's lip twitch.
Dave felt holes being burned into the back of his head and so he looked up at Bruce and what he saw made him laugh inside.
"Anyway, like I said, I should be going," Dave said with a smile before continuing, "My wife will be wanting to hear how she is doing."
The fire behind Bruce's eyes completely went out as he realized what an idiot he was being. Part of it was also relief.
"Your wife?" Bruce said.
"Yes my wife, the mother of my three children," he said with a smile that just screamed amusement.
"Sorry," Bruce said pathetically looking back down at Sylvia.
"Hey it's fine," Dave spoke as he fixed his jacket, "Whoever said marriage was a ball and chain was seriously disturbed."
Dave was joking and he didn't want to embarrass the man more than he already was. Dave took one last look at Sylvia his eyes becoming sad again before closing the door behind him.
Bruce sighed and looked down at the girl in front of him. He quickly grabbed more tissues from the table next to her. Tears were leaking from her eyes again.
He wiped them away gently trying not to wake her…or disturb her. He didn't know where this gentler or possessive side was coming from but he wasn't thinking straight right now. Tomorrow he was going to reveal his identity. He was going to go on live television to reveal he was the batman. The wanted vigilante that was fighting crime left and right at night.
"Mar…Marcus."
Bruce looked down at Sylvia to see her stirring. Her voice sounded hoarse and broken. Bruce leaned forward to hear her better but her eyes snapped open and she sprung up from the bed banging her head against his.
"Ow," she murmured, weakly rubbing her head. Bruce winced rubbing his as well.
Sylvia stared at him as if she didn't know him but then she looked down squeezing her eyes shut in concentration. She took a deep breath and looked back at him.
"It wasn't just a dream was it?" she whispered looking down at her hands.
Bruce was at a loss for words. He really didn't believe she would wake so soon. She looked a wreck and all Bruce could think of was making sure she didn't cry again.
"I'm so sorry," he said sincerely gripping her hand again in both of his. She looked down at them her face blank.
Bruce stared at her a neutral look set into his face as well, but on the inside he was trying to figure out what she was thinking. Rachel would still be at his penthouse. She was right to come to his house. If the Joker marked her as next she was going to have to live with him until this was all over. She was going to wait-
"Shouldn't you be out fighting crime?" Sylvia asked still staring at her hand being enveloped by both of his.
"I'm sorry," he asked trying to focus on her rather than his thoughts.
"Shouldn't you be out protecting Gotham?" she reworded wondering when the weight of her words was going to settle.
Bruce stood by the bed staring into her face his shock was not apparent on his face but he didn't doubt that his grip tightening subconsciously on her hands was a dead giveaway. Sylvia looked up into his face and directly into his brown eyes…the same brown eyes behind that bat mask.
"Holy shit," she whispered never taking her eyes off his.
"I think you need some more sleep," he said flatly, letting go of her hand but she grabbed onto his with surprising strength for her being in a hospital bed.
"I may be in a hospital bed but I'm not stupid," she said aggressively.
He was very surprised she was able to recover so quickly from everything that was thrown at her…and still able to think straight.
"I am not insinuating that you are I just think you are hallucinating and need to get some more sleep," he said looking her straight in the eyes.
"That line…the one you said in the elevator where did you hear it from," she asked tightening her grip on his wrist.
"What line," Bruce sighed trying to think of a way out.
"You know exactly what line I'm talking about because you know exactly where you screwed up, don't you, Mr. Wayne," she said.
The room was completely silent besides the noises from her I.V. The two just stared at one another both challenging the other to speak. It was a very good thing Sylvia was running purely on meds because she was sure she would have never said a thing to Wayne about this. It was a few more moments before they both spoke.
"It's the masks we wear," they said at the same time. Bruce knew there was no way around it. Sylvia Juarez had figured him out.
Sylvia noticed the defeat in his eyes but he still did not look away. She sighed.
"You need to be very careful Mr. Wayne," she said letting go of his wrist.
"And why is that?" he asked defensively.
He knew he shouldn't have expected anything more from her than blackmail but he seriously couldn't believe she was so low. How much was she going ask for? A million? A billion? Monthly? Annually?
"Because if I, a reporter, could figure it out who knows who else will or can," she sighed leaning back into the bed. She looked exhausted again. "Although, how many people can say they've spoken to the batman or at least seen him up close?"
"Not many," Bruce answered. Still expecting her to name her price for her silence.
Sylvia remained silent in her bed. She couldn't help herself and began to laugh. Bruce stared at her in masked astonishment. She knew she should not be laughing but this was too much. Bruce Wayne was Batman. Who would have thought?
"Wow," she said simply between giggles.
Bruce stayed standing by her bed as she laughed. She relaxed after a few more seconds and stared up at him a new emotion shinning within her eyes: respect.
"You're the one…the guardian," she spoke admiration laced in her words.
"I wouldn't know about guardian," Bruce mumbled.
"What do you mean? Of course you are. Look at all the good things you have done," she said wondering how much pain killers they had given her.
"It won't matter in a few hours," he said looking down at the bed.
"Why not?" she asked.
"Enough people have died because of me," he said looking out into space.
Sylvia stared into his handsome face wondering what the hell he was on about.
"What are you talking about," she asked gripping his hand.
"The only way the Joker will stop killing is if I reveal who I am," he replied.
"Wait a damn minute. You can't give yourself up now," she said beginning to feel a monstrous headache developing.
"I don't have a choice," he said releasing himself from her hold.
"You really think that will stop that maniac. It will just give him more initiative to continue," she told him almost scolding.
Bruce stood silent but she knew she wasn't making a difference in his decision. He was determined and had made up his mind.
"God, how thick can you be?" she mumbled rubbing her temple. The headache was becoming too much.
"Are you alright," Bruce asked quietly.
"No I'm not fucking alright," she snapped her heart rate shooting up. Bruce knew she had to relax if not she was going to make herself more sick than she probably already was.
"Please calm down," he told her putting his hand on her chest to lean her back onto the bed. Sylvia, however, was not going to have any of it.
"Don't tell me to calm down," she hissed pushing his hand away from her. "My head hurts, my whole body hurts, a psychotic clown is making my life a living hell, I watched my best friend get blown into smithereens, and the only person that can stop this city from spiraling into hell, is giving in. Do you understand what a victory it will be for the Joker when you give yourself up? How-ugh-you really think it will make a difference?" She shouted impatiently. Suddenly, Sylvia began to hit Bruce over his chest with her fists.
Sylvia was very aware that she was probably not hurting this man but she needed to take her anger, nay, her hurt on someone. The door to her room was opened by the doctor and a nurse following who proceeded to interfere with her weak punches to the billionaire playboy.
"Miss Juarez, please stop," Doctor Savadra ordered trying to pull Bruce from her grasp.
Once he succeeded the nurse escorted Bruce from the room as Doctor Savadra tried to medicate his patient with something that would calm her. Bruce watched from the window as Sylvia thrashed around. She had finally lost it. Her exposure to the Joker was finally catching up to her.
"You can't give in!" she yelled hysterically from the bed.
It was noticeable when the doctor successfully administered the medication because Sylvia immediately seemed to calm. Bruce sighed and turned to leave. He knew what she said was true but what other choice did he have?
A/N: Don't forget to review. :D