Author's Note: I've been asked by a guest review for examples of what Chance and Ace actually look like, were they to be in real life. I wanted readers to portray their own ideas of Chance and Ace in their minds. Chance is supposed to be extremely beautiful and clever; Ace is supposed to be sultry, dangerous, though remain quite beautiful.

City in Pieces II

Chapter Thirteen: The Wolf

It was not a romantic movie. It wasn't a wonderful fairytale. The baby was simple as it could ever be. It was an heir to the League of Shadows, a girl or boy that would embody everything that the League would stand for: bravery, honor, vengeance, and rebuilding foundations across the globe. Chance, Bane, and Talia were not immortal by any means; the progeny would take up the legacy with duty, and when the time was right, he or she would do the same thing.

Chance faced that with some discouragement. Right now, it was a theory. Seven days were seven days, but she could bet money that when the ninth month came along, Chance knew that she would so protective of it, that she would lose her mind if something should happen. However, she didn't worry about it. She expelled it from her mind. Chance, in resolution, searched through every compartment that she could hide her prescription Oxycontin, and when she found every bottle, she tossed them into the turbulent waters with a dutiful gaze. The progeny wasn't going to be flawed with birth defects or stupors. She was bound to give the world a genius and a prodigy of Bane's genius intellect and whatever qualities she possessed.

Chance was giving the agents around her bottles upon bottles of alcohol, getting rid of temptation. Talia approached her as Barsad delivered the vodka shots to his men, whom all whooped with cheerful banter. Talia glanced at them before turning to Chance, who smiled at her.

"Talia."

"I heard your news." Talia indicated Chance's stomach. "It must be wonderful, knowing that you aren't barren. Bane informed me of the situation," she said as a side-note. "I wondered when he was going to ask you. I would provide an heir myself, but I can't trust men too well. I trust Bane, of course," she assured Chance, "but no other man."

Chance nodded. Although Chance befriended Talia, it was still a little rough to bear her speaking of Bane. In her mind, they might as well be distanced lovers. Talia spoke of him with the highest regard; she respected him, which was fine, but Chance could barely stand it when Bane looked at her with that same…meaningful gaze.

"Chance, are you all right?" Talia asked. "You look a bit agitated."

"I just know that I'm going to be going through some strong withdrawals," lied Chance.

"Drug addiction is easy to kick, I hear."

"Perhaps you have heard wrong. Why are you here?" asked Chance curiously.

"I considered not coming, but I thought you might enjoy this." Talia gave Chance a bag of clothes.

"What are these?" Chance peered into it.

"Articles of a masquerade costume." Miranda answered. "I'm hosting a charity event at my house." Chance looked at her. "The proceeds will go to funding the reactor core." With a flick of her tongue, she said in a mocking way, "the clean energy project."

"Why would I come to a ball that has people in there that I don't know?" Then Chance added with obvious irritation, "Or that I don't like."

"These people that will be there are rich, yes, but their money is valued. A charity event and generous royals make a princely combination for a purpose that you and I want to endure. I know that you haven't seen a party in quite a while, Chance. Have a day where you can dance, enjoy the food, and for God sake, get out there and enjoy yourself."

Chance gave her a tight smile.

"I enjoy myself down here."

"All right, well, about this." Talia said. "I want you by my side while I'm in my house with lots of people who think I'm just a delight."

"Why would I want to come if that's the reason why?"

"We can sit at a table and make fun of people while you're enjoying an alcohol-free Cosmo and eating like a man," offered Talia.

Chance raised her eyebrows.

"Now you're talking," Chance stated, impressed.

"The party's upstairs. You can't go waltzing into a crowd, unmasked. I bought these for you." Talia told her. "I figured you fit the nature of a wolf, and Geno's so happened to have an outfit that matches your personality. Its tomorrow night, Chance. Don't be late."

Chance watched Talia's back as she left. Chance opened the bag on the bed to inspect the costume that was supposedly flattering on her. Unable to see the underlying details by simply laying out on the bed, Chance undressed, and slipped into comfortable pieces of satin and polyester. White satin hugged her bosom and it tied around her neck; black polyester and nylon fell to ankles, meeting two-inch heels; a comfortable white-fur shawl fell over her shoulders in warmth; but Chance found it most interesting when she put on the mask. A wolf by an elegant descent framed her face in black and white. Chance admitted it to herself that Miranda had some taste in design.

At first she thought she looked a bit too elegant in a rich woman's clothes, considered throwing the money-grabbed articles into the water with the drugs…However, from her peripheral vision, she saw Bane step over the threshold. Chance turned to him, and he halted when he saw her.

His eyes climbed their way from her exposed feet, to her curvature of her legs and breasts, and found her eyes through the tufts of white fur and material. He approached her slowly.

"Is this what you are under flesh and bone?" he asked her.

From the darkness of the mask, she gazed out at him. He might not have seen the smirk on her lips.

"How would you know that it was me if I was in a crowd of people?"

Bane gave her an amused chuckle. He held her mask by the nose and pushed it away from her face. Her hair fell down her shoulders.

"Were you in a throng, surrounded by strange others, with this mask, I'd know it was you."

"How could you possibly recognize me?"

"I know this because if I approached strangers, they would fall to their feet in fear, and you would simply look at me from the throng as a friend." He pinched her chin. "That's how I would know." Then he added, "That, and you hold a lot of emotion in those eyes of yours."

Chance smiled at him.

"Talia asked me to come to this ball wearing this."

Bane gave her another quick overview.

"It's in good taste." He wrapped a hand around her waist.

"Oh, yeah," scoffed Chance jokingly, "because—Oh!"

Bane moved her so suddenly; she caught him, by instinct, around his neck as he dipped her over his other hand. Chance, startled, stared at him in shock. He chuckled and put her back to her feet.

"I see you in military uniforms all the time, Chance," said Bane. "From time to time, I forget what you look like as a woman."

Chance smirked.

"I guess I'll have to remind you, won't I?"