Well that could have gone better…

The harsh bite of a bright blue ice pack paled in comparison to her soft pink lips caressing his tan cheek. The bemused and slightly battered Bruce Wayne slumped further into the soft green fabric of his beloved armchair until a knock rapped across his study door.

The defeated defender of Gotham moaned. He prayed it wasn't one of his younger counterparts ready to scold him for his less than heroic venture.

"Come in." He groaned. He plopped the bright blue ice pack onto the small end table.

Here it comes

But much to his surprise-

"Forgive me for disturbing, sir but-"Alfred meekly began popping his head into his master's sanctuary.

"Not at all, Alfred. Please come in." Bruce happily beckoned the older gentleman into his study.

"Oh, thank you, sir." Alfred closed the door behind him. "How are you feeling, Master Bruce?" The old butler inquired.

The young socialite cautiously forced a smile. "I-oh!"

Bruce grinded his teeth. "Ah-well…" He nervously laughed. "I don't know which is more bruised, Alfred, my cheek or my ego." The handsome millionaire delicately rubbed his jaw.

That woman could pack a wallop.

As sympathetic as Alfred could be, he couldn't help a small chuckle escape his thin lips. "Forgive me, sir. But it seems the meeting go as well as you planned?"

"Uh no. Not exactly." Bruce's smirk melted away. "I don't get it, Alfred. I thought everything was going so well until…"

"Until what, sir?" Alfred pressed on.

"…well I'm not quite sure." Bruce folded his arm cross his broad chest. "We were talking about her progress and how she was getting along with everyone especially Bruce Wayne. What plans she had for the future. Then the next I knew she decked me."

"Oh dear." Alfred replied.

"I don't know what I did to her to set her off." Bruce tightened his arms around his chest.

"Perhaps it's not what you did, Mater Bruce, but rather what you haven't done." The old man boldly stated. The baffled Bat was now more befuddled than before.

"May I speak freely, sir?" His master naturally obliged.

Alfred took a deep breath and adjusted his glasses, "I speak for everyone when I say that maybe it is time you finally came to grips with the simple truth that you have feelings for Ms. Kyle. And you have for quite some time."

Bruce froze.

Where did this come from? What did that have to do with Selina striking him? Was this the real reason Alfred came to see him?

Bruce chose his next words very carefully, "What do you by everyone?"

"Well, Sir, I have often heard Mrs. Cooper, Master Dick and Ms. Gordon comment on a noticeable change in you since Ms. Kyle's arrival here at the Manor."

"Oh? And what is that?" Bruce smirked.

"You're happier, sir." Alfred bluntly replied. The brash smirk vanished.

"According to Master Dick and Ms. Gordon, even those in your social circles can see it."

"Forgive me, Alfred, but I wouldn't exactly go off social gossip as a foundation for any evidence of romantic interest. Selina is very attractive and alluring. Even a blind man can see that. So naturally she can get the attention of any man including a millionaire playboy. Not only that, but because of my past encounters with her other identity, I am more eager to see her succeed and making a bigger effort to being her friend. I will admit that." Bruce steadfastly stated.

He wasn't mad at Alfred, per say, but he wasn't exactly enjoying the conversation. He didn't need his team or anyone making assumptions about his love life especially when it came to this particular woman. It was a sensitive subject that he didn't need it being brought up. It was bad enough every time he saw her.

"Yes, sir, I agree! But I am not going off of any third party source. It's solely from what I have observed for many years." The wise sage calmly replied.

"Oh?" Bruce arched an eyebrow.

"It's the way you look at her, Master Bruce."

The Bat was about to rebuttal against the butler but was abruptly cut off, "It's the same look your father wore every time he saw your mother."

The personas of the brave Caped Crusader and confident playboy shattered into a thousand pieces around his feet. All that stood now was a man with the eyes of a ten year old orphaned boy.

"I know that look very well, sir, and I haven't seen it in a long time. Well, until Ms. Kyle came along. That's what this meeting was about wasn't, sir? You wanted to see her again as Catwoman and you wanted to continue that without any strings attached. And that's probably the reason why she-well-decked you, sir. She knows there's a war inside you but won't do anything about it."

Bruce stayed silent.

Alfred inhaled a shaky breath, "I won't live forever, Master Bruce. I want to know that you won't look back on your life and find yourself alone. I don't want you to regret not taking a chance on something that could be the best thing that ever happened to you. More so than the being the Caped Crime fighter of this city."

"It's not that simple." Bruce croaked out.

"I know, sir." Alfred's voice dropped to barely above a whisper.

"She's loves Batman. Her heart belongs to Batman. That's what she told me." Bruce swallowed.

"I understand, sir. But I am not referring to millionaire playboy Bruce Wayne but…" The old man gave the young man a knowing look.

Bruce's eyes widened. "No. No, no, no. Alfred I cannot do that. That is too risky. Yes, there has been a remarkable change in her but the safety of my team and family are too important for that regardless of her progress or my-"He cleared his throat and started scanning the books behind him. "Even if her heart does belong to Batman that might not stop her once she finds out. Plus, she might reject me anyway when she finds out who Batman really is." His heart ached to tell her. He didn't want to say it but it did.

She would be a great asset to the team. But what was supposed to happen? He'd tell her and she'd just accept it and they'd live happily ever after? It would work if they lived in a perfect world. But they didn't. It was just too impossible even for Batman. Besides, he couldn't afford to be distracted with a relationship if he was to continue his crime fighting. The playboy lifestyle was a perfect cover up and needed to stay that way no matter what it might cost him.

"As I said it's too much of a risk." The Bat gruffly responded.

Alfred knew it was a losing battle. He gave up and headed for the door. "It is definitely the greatest risk you'd ever take, sir. However, if that is your final decision, then her sake and yours, you must give her up altogether. End the program now and never see her again because we cannot bear to watch you anymore when it comes to her. It's also not fair to Ms. Kyle. If you let her go, you will not only be free to live as you see fit, but she will also be free to move on with her life without any false hopes or attachments." The wise man paused for a moment. "Perhaps this will also give her the chance to find the happiness she seeks with someone else."

Bruce gripped the leather spine of the large book so hard his knuckles turned white. He wanted to say something. Anything. But nothing came out. His mouth went dry.

No. It couldn't be. She'd never-

But my heart belongs to Batman.

Yes, but for how long? A woman can only wait for so long.

And why do you care?

"It's your decision, Master Bruce." Alfred replied one last time as he reopened the door of his Master's beloved study. "But I'll leave you with this- is she worth it? Is she worth the risk?" A small smile crept across his face.

What?

"W-What?" the speechless tycoon whirled around.

"Is she worth it, sir?"

Those words. Bruce knew those words. Selina said those very same words in his dream.

"I love her, Alfred." The famed bachelor blurted out in defeat. Alfred popped his head back in and smiled. "We know, sir."

And with that, Alfred slowly shut the door.