Seduction

After Helena Bertinelli had finally seen Santilli to his hotel. She went to a secluded spot, changed into her Huntress uniform and spent an hour patrolling. After the evening that she had felt she had to release some stress, and she might as well do so on the criminal element of Gotham City. But the city was quiet tonight, and Huntress spent of the her time burning off stress by just running around town. She ended up returning to her loft shortly after 1 am tired and burned out. She looked forwards to soaking in the bathtub, drinking a glass of Chianti and listening to Tosca.

But it wasn't to be. As soon as she dropped through her skylight she saw him standing there in the middle of her living room.

Batman.

This time she knew it wasn't an imposter or some stand in. Not only due to the powerful build, but also due to the prescence he radiated. No one radiated as much arrogance as Batman.

She was on guard immediately. He only usually showed up to chastise or humiliate her. They had never gotten along. She couldn't abide his rudeness, his arrogance his condescension. His manipulations.

Vic Sage, also known as the Question, said that they had a father daughter relationship, because he had inspired her to become Huntress. Helena had laughed at that Freudian theory.

She didn't view Batman as a father. He had never guided her and she wasn't even close to him. Besides she had two men who had served as her Fathers and Mentors. Her cousin Sal and Uncle. Both dead now (God rest their souls). They had raised her and taught her to be the strong woman she was today.

Batman her relationship with him….was something else entirely….

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"I came her to thank you," he said his deep basso voice rumbling throughout the room, "For saving my life."

Huntress could barely hide her surprise. Batman was actually thanking her. She wouldn't have expected it in a million years.

"Er…you're welcome," she said nodding. There was a tense moment of silence between them, as if neither of them knew what else to say. Whenever they had spoken in the past it had always been with hostility and acrimony.

Batman cleared his throat as if unsure how to proceed.

"I also wanted to invite you to join the group."

"What group?" she asked puzzled.

"The family…the rest of us Nightwing, Oracle, Robin, Batgirl and myself."

Huntress couldn't help but smile wryly.

"Now I see," she said, "But my question is, do you want me to join because you think I belong or as payback for what I did? Because if it's the later I don't want your charity."

"It's not charity Helena, I honestly think, I have always thought that there was a place for you amongst us."

"Have you?" she asked hotly, "You sure have a funny way of showing it! You've treated me like an outsider and dirt from the very beginning! Christ I can't forget what you did to me during No Man's Land!"

"I gave you a choice Helena-" he began.

"Oh yeah some choice," she exploded, "You deliberately humiliated me in front of Nightwing. Knowing full well that my pride and our history wouldn't allow me to follow you after that."

"I'm not going to apologize for what happened during No Man's Land Huntress,' he growled, "Those were desperate times. The city was in crisis and I needed all you had. I asked you to protect our territory and you didn't."

"I did my best all things considering," she said her voice rising as she remembered her shame from that incident.

"Yes all things considering," Batman growled, "And look how that turned out! The fact of the matter is, if you had been another type of person…well maybe I would have solicited your help. But you only seem to give your all when your ego is at stake."

"That is not true!" she snapped defiantly, "I give my all to this city almost every night! I fight for it just as hard as you and the others do. I have the scars on my body to prove it. But somehow that never seems to be enough for you!"

"It's never been enough because you just didn't behave. You've never been a team player!"

"Bull!" she exclaimed, "I've always been willing to listen to you. When you make sense. But for you it has to be 100 obedience or you're out."

"Those are the rules Huntress. Take them or leave them. We are allowed to operate in Gotham City because the city trusts me. Not Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl or even you. The only reason that you are allowed to operate in Gotham City is because the police consider you to be an extension of my group. If it was not for my consent you wouldn't be able to function."

"Well if that's the case. Then I would rather be on my own-"

But she did not get to finish her sentence because she suddenly found herself in Batman's arms and in a crushing embrace. His lips were quickly bruising hers apart his tongue searching frantically for hers. Huntress wanted to resist but found that she couldn't, her body wouldn't allow her to. A flood of emotions she had tried to suppress for years whenever she was around him came pouring out, and she found herself hungrily kissing him back.

Batman pulled back his breathing deep and ragged.

"No…no don't," she pleaded, "Please don't stop."

"Helena…" he breathed kissing her forehead, "My God how I've wanted you… How long I've longed for you."

"I've wanted the same thing," she said her voice thick.

"Oh my God," he said in astonishment.

He lowered his lips to hers and she was kissing him hungrily all over again. She placed her hand behind his cowled head to make the kiss deeper. They stayed locked like this for several minutes before Batman broke the kiss once again. He took her face in his hands and pressed his forehead to hers.

"Not here," he said, "The bedroom."

Reluctantly they broke apart and he took her by the hand and began to lead her towards the bedroom. But she stopped him.

"What?" he asked confused.

"I want to see you first. You know who I am," she said removing her Huntress mask and revealing the earthy and sensual features of Helena Bertinelli, "And I deserve to know who you are."

Batman looked at her for a moment and deciding that she was right nodded.

"Yes you're right Helena," he said reaching up to remove his cowl, "It is high time you learned who I really am."

Helena gasped in horror as he removed the cowl and showed her his face.

"Bruce Wayne!" she exclaimed horrified backing away from him," This is some kind of sick joke!"

"No Helena it isn't.." he said quietly, "It's me. I'm Batman. The man you've fought with for years."

"No. No! This can't be!" she said backing away from him her hand reaching for her crossbow.

"Yes Helena it is," Bruce replied his eyes searching her face.

"No! You were cruising me almost the entire night I was at the Hagenberg. That lame line about showing you Italy. My God how pathetic!"

"I hope that you change your mind," he said softly, "I hope that one day you will show me Italy."

"Get your hands up in the air right now!" she shouted pointing her crossbow at him.

"Okay," he said raising both hands in the air. The expression on his face unsettled her, "Just take it easy. I can prove to you that I really am Batman."

"How?" she asked.

"I know how you got that scar in your left side," His hands were still in the air but he gestured with his chin toward her left side.

"You were shot by the Joker. After you fought like a demon to save those children. I had never been so proud of you in my entire life than I was of you then."

He stepped towards her. But she still looked unconvinced.

"Nice try but there were several people there. You could have heard that story from anyone," she said but her voice was shaky as if unsure.

"Okay then. Since actions seem to speak more louder than words with you. Let me show you something else. Proof. But in order for me to do that I have to lift my jersey."

"Okay then. But pull it up from your chest don't touch your utility belt."

"Okay," Bruce Wayne replied he placed his hands over his chest and slowly inch my inch he began to pull up the material on his jersey revealing a beautiful sculpted muscular body. Helena gasped softly. His torso was covered with small rivulets of scars that Helena knew could only come from an active life. She recognize that several of them came from knifes, "You've been in the business. You know what these scars come from. Like this one right here."

He pointed to a puckered scar just below his right pectoral.

"This scar I got from an arrow from your cross bow. I got it one night while Nightwing and I tried to capture you when you were on the run from the police. You accidentally struck me with your arrow."

Helena lowered her crossbow and reached out to touch the scar with her free hand. She could smell the same tobacco and sandalwood scent from his colone she had sensed when he approached her during the evening.

"But you know what?" Bruce asked her.

"No," she said looking up at him.

"I will never let you escape me again."

And with that he once again gathered her into his arms and kissed her deeply.

"You and I," he said briefly burying his face into her hair and inhaling deeply, "…have danced around each other for years. Being honest in almost everything except what we both wanted."

"Each other," she replied looking up into his eyes.

"That's going to end tonight Helena," he said firmly, "It ends tonight," and he kissed her again.

"Come on it's time," he murmured nuzzling her nose. He then picked her up into his arms and carried her off towards her bedroom, and placed her down on to the bed. He noticed that she was trembling.

"This isn't your first time is it Helena?" he asked gently.

"No. No it isn't but… it is my first time with you," she said.

"Our first time," he murmured against her lips, "Well then I'll have to make sure that it's memorable."