Mari relaxed out in the Garden the next few days. Bruce was happy to see that she was resting finally that the fundraiser was finished. The brightness that faded in her eyes when she was tired came back full strength. Little Ella loved spending the evenings with them. She was a bright spot to their lives. Bruce had his second life as Batman that caused them worry but the rest was calm right now. Mari's group had tallied the results of the fundraiser and it had been the most successful night for the charities in recent history all of the success was credited to Mari. She enjoyed that people were helped for a week before other charities came to her for ideas.

She was in the Morning Room when she opened a letter addressed to her. Into her lap, fell pictures but she read the note first.

Dr. Robins,

Just thought I'd give you a little show as to what your so-called loving husband was up to while you planned the ball for his charity.

A Friend

Mari picked up the pictures. Her heart sank. The pictures showed Bruce with a beautiful and tall blonde woman. She was exquisite. The exact trophy wife format for the billionaire play boy of Gotham City. Mari was chilled to the bone. 'Who would be so cruel to send this to me? Bruce loves me. Why are they doing this to us?' Mari suddenly wished Bruce was home. Her mind would do nothing but focus on these pictures. She trusted Bruce but it scared her that they picked the exact opposite of herself to place with him.

It was over two hours later when Bruce found her sitting staring at the fire that was starting to die out. The room was colder than Mari normally liked it which clued him in that something was off. When she didn't acknowledge him, he walked into the room to her and found the pictures and the letter. Her face was pale as if she was scared but she didn't shy away when he touched her. "Mari, what's going on?" he whispered.

She refocused her eyes and looked up to him. "Bruce?" she whispered.

"I'm here, Mari."

"It's cold in here. I feel so cold."

Bruce grabbed a blanket and covered her with it. Mari stood up and went to the couch in the room. He went and sat with her as she curled up next to him. "Are you ok, Mari? You were just staring off into space when I first came in earlier."

"Someone is playing games with me, Bruce. They know though where to strike me. At my weakest point, how I don't fit the believed 'right' image as your wife."

"Now you know that is BS, right Mari?" He said pulling her closer to him. He felt her start to warm up in both the blanket and his arms. "I want to see how they created these pictures or see if I can figure out how old they are. You know how much I love you and Ella, right?"

"I know, Bruce. I know. I just hate that people think they can come in here and do something this cruel to us." She said with tears rising in her eyes.

"I promise you, Mari. We'll find out who is trying to spread these lies." He said as he pulled her up into his lap.

Bruce took Mari up to their room once she fell asleep in his arms. He called Lucius next trying to figure out how these pictures even existed. Bruce couldn't remember the blonde woman in the picture but she could have been in his past as the Playboy of Gotham before Mari returned. He just could not tell. Even Alfred who remembered all the young ladies that he escorted every where could not remember the lady in these pictures. Bruce's computers had yet to come up with a match of her features. Mari's self-esteem was hard to crack and yet the person who sent this hit her in the one area Bruce knew she was unsure. She wanted to live up to the Wayne name and the examples of other women in his family but was unsure if she could do it right.

Mari found him there searching the computers several hours later. He had heard the elevator open and the click of her heels as she walked across the cave floor. "Any luck with the pictures, Bruce?"

"No, not yet. Even Alfred didn't recognize the woman in them. His memory is better than mine when it came to the playboy image. I have an instinct that these were created on a computer, Mari. There is just no other explanation. I think these will eventually end up in the Tabloids, Mari. Will you be able to deal because we will have to be out in public, Mari? We can't hide from these lies."

"If we are together, I can deal with anything. It can just get hard when they swarm me and I'm by myself. They can be nasty because I try to ignore them." She said quietly.

"We'll deal with this tomorrow and I'm going to have Lucius look over these pictures using the Wayne Enterprises labs. The more we know about these, the better we can deal with them." Bruce said as he stood. "Time for dinner?"

"Yup, Alfred is waiting patiently for us." Mari said as they got into the elevator headed back to the Manor.

Dr. Crane and the Catwoman were planning their next move in a small room in the Narrows of Gotham City. "The pictures were in the mail today. Mrs. Wayne should have them by now. The best woman can't stand the possibility of a cheating spouse. It will break her spirit at which point getting access to both Wayne's wife and daughter will be easy." Crane said to her.

"What do I care how you take out the wife and kid, just give me Wayne to play with." Catwoman said. "His company destroyed major areas that could have been saved for wild cats."

"Don't worry. I have a feeling you'll have both Wayne and a Bat to play with eventually." Crane said smiling. "Plus, with her out of the spotlight you can have control of all the designers that fawn over her." They smiled and laughed as the night past on into the next morning.

Mari and Bruce woke the next morning wondering how bad the press would be and if the pictures had been made public. Bruce was fielding calls from the office when Mari came downstairs for breakfast. He smiled at her and Alfred gave her a cup of tea. She ate and Alfred suggested, "Miss Anna, I have a feeling that Master Bruce will want you to go with him to Wayne Enterprises today."

"A united front for the press and public of the Wayne Family." Mari said thinking. "Alfred, did you press one of my suits?"

"Yes, Miss Anna. I figured your white suit next to Master Bruce's grey would make a striking match."

"Thank you, Alfred." Mari said going upstairs. She pulled out a pale blue cashmere sweater that would display her eyes and her coloring. Everything was carefully chosen so that she would look her best at Bruce's side. Nancy was getting her paperwork together to take with her to the office. When Mari stepped out of the bathroom, Bruce was waiting in his suit to leave for Wayne Enterprises.

"I thought a united front today would be the best idea. I know there isn't much you need to go to the city for but by having us spend the day together we could kill some of the excitement over these pictures." He said as she pulled her shoes and purse together. He helped her put her necklaces and bracelet on as her hands were shaking.

Their car ride was quiet. She was nervous he could tell as they held hands. As they pulled up in front of Wayne Tower, he saw the press waiting for them. He exited his side of the car first. He walked to her side and helped her out of the car. Alfred had their briefcases and gave them to each of them. Bruce looked at Mari and they began to walk through the press into the building. Mari heard all kinds of voices asking them different questions. She looked at Bruce's eyes, 'Just trust me.' He told her with a look. He squeezed her hand and they continued into the building.

Crane, in the Narrows, watched the scene of the Waynes walking into Wayne Tower. 'She's looking to him for guidance. They are trying to fight this. I wonder how long she can hold under the stress. It might be interesting to watch.' He thought. He smiled as he planned for the next little public nightmare for the Waynes.