Chapter 14

Barb finally felt like she could breath as soon as the door slammed shut. She fought for air as she grabbed the napes of Bruce's jacket.

"I'm so sorry. You were right. You were right" she sobbed

Bruce said nothing as he pulled her in tight and comforted her. He'd die before every letting go of her in that moment. He ran his hand down the back of her head.

"I cant believe I was so foolish" She looked up

Bruce gave her a comforting nod "Are you alright" he examined her check with his palm

She followed his hand holding her cheek nodding "You came not a moment too soon"

Bruce disagreed; he wished he'd been able to get there before Tom got physical.

"Did he hurt you?" he asked the obvious question

She shook her head trying to hold her own "Nothing I can't handle" she said

"Bruce…There's something I need to tell you" Barb gathered the courage

Bruce shook his head "Barb…" he tried to stop her, she didn't need to apologize to him.

Barb put her hands on Bruce's arms, countering him "No please let me say this" she looked at him pleading, but Bruce was giving her a knowingly look she didn't fully understand

She looked down ashamed still "Last night, I said and did some terrible things that I didn't mean" she started

Bruce ran his hand down her face "Barb please, none of that matters as long as your ok now and that the truth is out"

She looked up with tears in her eyes "But I told you that it was too late" she said "But it wasn't, and I..Tom and I…" she couldn't even say the words

Bruce didn't want her to feel guilty, last night was already in the past "Barb, there is nothing you could do or say that would make me stop loving you" Bruce admitted

Barb took a breath as she shut her eyes "Tom is Hush, Bruce, and I let that psycho have sex with me" she looked away ashamed

That fact would stay with Barb for the rest of her life. Bruce didn't see it that way until now. He pulled her in to his arms "Its ok, Barb. Everything is going to be fine"

Bruce couldn't let Barb stay at the penthouse "Common, lets pack a bag. You're not staying here by yourself, your going to come stay with me" Bruce said

Barb looked up, "Bruce.."

Bruce wasn't going to argue with Barb over it "If what your saying is true and Tom is this Hush killer then you're not safe here" he started to pull her to the stairs. "Chances are he'll come looking for you again"

Barb was too exhausted to argue over it and followed Bruce. Even though Tom knew exactly where Barb would be hiding out, he had a better chance at protecting Barb at Wayne Manor than in the penthouse.

Barb pulled out a bag from her closet as Bruce looked out the window. "There's something I need to tell you too Barb" he continued staring out

Barb looked up silent.

"How I knew about Tom…." He began…

Barb tilted her head "I…"he stumbled "I knew because I'm" Bruce was cut off by Barbs cell phone

Barb gave Bruce an apologetic glance. She looked at the caller ID and forgot she still hadn't called her father "I'm sorry its Jim and I scared him pretty bad this morning with all of this"

Bruce nodded for her to answer the phone "Hi dad" she said sitting down on the bed "I'm sorry I didn't call sooner"

"Honey, what's going on" Jim asked

Barb took a deep breathe "If you look at the file you have with the sightings, Tom has visited every single on of those villages, not with doctors without boarders but on his own"

"What are you saying Barb.." Jim asked

"I'm saying is my instinct could only be ignored for so long, and now its screaming that Thomas Elliot is this Hush killer" Barb stated

"Barbara I don't understand, how can you know?"

"I'm not sure but all I know is that I feel it. There's articles about him as a child being sent away to Arkham, and when his parents were in that car accident that killed his father, the report stated that the breaks were cut. And as soon as his mother died he vanished" Barb explained

"Where are you now?" Jim asked "are you alone?"

"I'm at the penthouse with Bruce."

"Have you seen Tom tonight?" Jim asked

"Yes, I didn't confront him. I ended things and he got a little weird about it and Bruce showed up just in time for things to get well…more weird. Dad I'm fine I'm going to stay with Bruce tonight so don't worry" she looked up at Bruce who was watching her

She felt safe with Bruce but couldn't help but still feel awful about turning him away for someone like Tom.

"Ok well call me when you get to Wayne Manor. I'm going to put an undercover on surveillance at the penthouse incase he shows up again. There's no proof Barb but you've never been wrong about your instinct before"

Barb looked down "Oh but I have"

"Barb don't beat yourself up about it, I should get going, I'm hoping I can meet our friend tonight and fill him in" Jim said "Unless you already have"

"He was here before Tom showed up" barb said sheepishly looking away from Bruce

Bruce knew she was talking about Batman and couldn't help but grin. As soon as he got Barb back to the house he would be out looking for Tom.

"Alright then, call me when you get to Bruce's" Jim said "I love you sweetheart"

"Love you too dad" Barb hung up the phone "Sorry. I'm almost done"

"I take it Batman was in on this as well" Bruce mused

Barb shoved her clothes into her bag "He was the one who gave my dad the file on Hush. I guess he never really was too far away"

Bruce nodded "About that. Barb.." he started again

She looked up "Right you were telling me something"

Bruce stepped closer to her "I'm.." he didn't know why he was having such a hard time saying the words.

Barb gave him a small smile "You're what?"

Bruce sighed, "Its nothing that can't wait" he said defeated "Are we ready?"

Barb stood for a moment confused before giving in "Yeah" she zipped up her bag and followed Bruce

The drive was quiet but Barb and Bruce weren't uncomfortable from it. Barb needed the quiet and Bruce saw that she was able to relax on the way back to Wayne Manor.

"Master Wayne, welcome back. Miss Gordon glad to see you made it here in one piece. Master Wayne's driving can be a little terrifying I'm afraid" Alfred smiled

Barb smiled lifting an eyebrow

"Why buy a fast car if you don't like to drive fast" he said nonchalantly

They followed Alfred inside "I've prepared the guest room across from the master bedroom for you Miss Gordon, shall I prepare a little supper?" he asked

Barb smiled "Thank you Alfred but no thank you, I don't seem to have much of an appetite right now" she said tiredly

He nodded "Very well then, I'll show you to your room then"

"Don't worry Alfred, I'll take her up. Have you looked into that thing I asked you about earlier?" Bruce asked

Barb looked between them confused. Alfred nodded "It's waiting for you in your study sir"

Bruce nodded "Thank you"

Alfred took off for the kitchen as Bruce and Barb headed up the stairs. "What's with the secrecy?" Barb asked

Bruce shook his head "No secrecy. I asked Alfred to send for the quarterly reports from the office" Bruce lied

He didn't want to but he had Alfred look into Harvey since the party and wanted to e sure Tom hadn't swayed him since the surgery. If Tom was going to be caught Bruce needed to know Harvey was ready to prosecute. If Harvey were still on the right path, he'd be more than enthusiastic to put Tom away for hurting Barb the way he did.

They reached the guest room and Barb sighed sitting on the king sized bed. "I'm so tired but I doubt I'll be able to shut my brain off after the last two days" she shook her head.

Bruce looked down at her with a loving gaze "Relax, your safe now. And you will be from now on" he said

Barb tried to smile "Still haven't given up on me have you"

"Never" he said simply while run his hand down her face

Barb held his hand to her face and shut her eyes. "So where does that leave us?" she looked up at him

Bruce smiled "I suppose that's a conversation that should be had after a good nights rest"

Barb stood up and stepped towards Bruce placing her hands on his chest. "When you kissed me last night…there was something that I felt before.." she said

Bruce looked at her knowing she was trying to piece together the kiss. He was filled with such intensity last night that he kissed her as Batman, something she had felt before.

"You did.." he said, more as a statement than a question.

She stared at his lips before kissing him. Bruce wrapped his arms around her and kissed her passionately. Not as intensely as the previous night but it was somewhere in the middle of Bruce and Batman. There was no denying that he wanted her that moment but Tom had to be dealt with before. Her safety was more important than their sense of unanswered passion.

It wasn't the same kiss Barb felt last night but it was different than shed felt from Bruce before, she knew he wanted her and she wanted him. Her hands glided through his hair as she continued kissing him, massaging her tongue to his while his hands ran down her hips.

Bruce slowly pulled away "This can also follow the conversation after that good nights rest" he kissed her one last time

Barb still held her eyes shut as she nodded. "Right" she whispered

Bruce ran his hand over her hair "I'm not going anywhere, remember that" he said

Barb opened her eyes and Bruce's expression was certain. He wasn't going anywhere and nothing or no one would come between them again.

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