Chapter 21: Learning the truth and the dangers of it

The whole car ride was silent, I didn't know what to say. I wasn't angry, I was only confused as to what their relationship was at the moment. From the corner of my eye I could see Bruce's hand tighten around the steering wheel. He was tense the entire way home. I most certainly did not have the courage to ask him what was bothering him, but I knew that something was. As we got closer to home, he relaxed a bit and took hold of my hand. I didn't turn to look at him, but I squeezed his hand to reassure him that I was fine. What plagued me was Rachel, I wanted to their past. I wasn't jealous or anything, well maybe a small part of me was, but how childish of me! I knew he loved me, so why am I questioning it? Simple, he shared some sort of special bond with her and that bothered me. The car came to a sudden hault at Wayne manor.

Bruce got off quickly and opened the door for me. "Brought you home on time before Alfred begins to worry." He seemed to be in a content mood as he jested about Alfred.

"I am sure Alfred would be pleased." I headed inside without waiting or looking back. I could hear his footsteps coming closer behind me. I continued to walk, leading the way to my bedroom. My stomach fluttered as I got closer.

Finally I came to a stop at my door. I finally summoned the courage to turn around. "I...um, will see you in the morning." His expression was stern but he nodded.

"I might leave early in the morning, Lucius wants me to check out a few research projects we are planning to do with Chase pharmaceuticals." He looked somewhat irritated about what happened earlier tonight.

I nodded slowly in understading. But I waited for some sort of comment about tonight. "Alright, I guess I'll see you some time tomorrow." I turned the knob on my door slowly but he placed his hand on top of mine to stop me. I met his gaze, which was calm and stern. My eyes scanned his, for the first time I was afraid. Afraid of the answers he would give me. I tried turning away but I couldn't, something always seemed to hold me back when it came to Bruce.

"What are you thinking, right now?" He knew something was wrong, then again when didn't he? I stared at him for what like seemed like an eternity, each time I looked his eyes grew darker and darker until they seemed like a pitch dark pit I was falling into.

"I'm fine, just tired." I tired so hard to smile but it would not come. I wanted him to know that he could always tell me the truth no matter what it was. I hated dumping guilt on him, but at times it way for him to tell me. Before I left I had to tell him, to remind him..."I just...I just want you to know that I love you-just keep that in mind." I turned away and slipped away into my empty solace.

The next day I didn't find him in the dinning hall for breakfast. I dined alone and left to the gallery alone. Last night I tossed and turned, my mind became an active tornado. Maybe if I spoke to Rachel Dawes personally, I could get some information from her and Bruce's painful past. I want to understand him a little bit more, to look at him on his own pain. In the past I was so blind to his pain because I was so wrapped up in my own that I didn't help through his own. Now, I was determined to help him. Maybe Bruce is the one that needs to be saved.

Once I went into my office I decided to look up her number. It didn't take long for me to find it. I took my cell phone out of my bag and dialed the number. It rang three times.

"Rachel Dawes." Her voice was very professional but had a warm melody to it.

"Good morning Rachel, it's Violet Montgomery...we met last night." I managed to disguise my voice into a sweet tone.

"Oh yes, yes what can I help you with Violet?" It was not difficult to be kind to her. She was one of the very few good people of the law left here in Gotham.

"Could you by any chance meet me at the diner on third street? I need to speak with you personally." I managed to sound calm and collected. I didn't want her to think of me as the jealous girlfriend; besides I wasn't. All I want is to find a way to understand Bruce more because I was clearly getting nowhere.

"Yes, alright I will meet you in an hour." She didn't seem surprised by my request. As if she already knew that I was going ask to speak with her.

"Thank you, I'll see you there."

"Your welcome, bye." She was so graceful about it. Rachel Dawes was the most confident woman I ever met, I hated her for that. I wonder what was going through her mind at this moment. Was she thinking about why I asked her to meet me? Did she have a clue it was about Bruce?

When I arrived to the diner, I was ashamed to find her there waiting for me. If I asked her to meet me, I should be the one waiting. Or maybe she was curious so she dropped everything and came straight over here. My stomach fluttered as I approached the table. Most of all I focused on keeping myself calm and collected. It would be no good if I bursted with anger, she didn't deserve it, none of this was her fault.

Rachel recieved me with a warm smile. "Hey, so what can I help you with Violet?"

I took a seat in front of her. I prepared myself for what I was going to ask, and especially for the answers she would give me.

"You are the only one that can tell me what happened between you two when he left and came back. I wish to know for my own peace of mind...please." I felt this sudden heavy weight lift off my shoulders, it was good to tell her why I had asked her to meet me.

Rachel sighed and looked away for a moment, then without further hesitation she looked me straight in the eyes. "You deserve to know. After all you do love him in a way I never could. I could never be as passionate as you are." She took a deep breath to prepare herself. Whatever the truth is, I'm ready to know it. "When he came back for the hearing he was not the Bruce I knew. He was cold and very distant. I had thought that he would have put it all aside and move on with his life. And I was so oblivious to believe that he would. But he didn't , much to my dismay." She looked out the window. Rachel seemed to be gathering her thoughts, but she was lost in the dark memories of the past.

"Rachel, what happened next?" I said to bring her back into reality, but she didn't come.

"He disappeared. I didn't hear from him until his return two years ago." She sighed and finally made eye contact with me. "When he came back I had high hopes that the old Bruce would come back to me, the man that I had fallen for. I will admit that I was still in love with him when he came back, but now it is drifting." Rachel seemed to be very careful about what she was telling me. "Now that he is with you, I see that he cannot love me the way he does you. I pushed him away, I lost him."

I just stared at her. I had no idea what to say, but I knew her pain because I had pushed him away when he left Princeton. "I know how you feel. It seems that our dear Bruce cannot find his place with either of us."

"No, he has found his place with you. Bruce just doesn't realize it, but he will in time. I have known him for a long time and you bring out intensity and passion in his eyes that I am sure I could never do. He loves you more than you know." Rachel was so determined about what she had said that I believed her and I was going to give him time.

After my meeting with Rachel, I had decided to visit an old friend...Emily. Even though she was probably in a better place now, I still held this dear little girl close to my heart. She was the only person I had ever cared for besides Bruce and Alfred. She must be scowling at me for giving Bruce such a hard time but she might be content because we are finally together. I placed pink roses on her empty grave and sat there and waited. I don't know what I waited for but I did. I probably waited for answers on what should I do with this situation. I waited for hope, for a sign, or maybe waited for an absolution that may never come. Alas, I should just live in the moment and cherish every minute I have with Bruce and just make the best of it. I loved him and that's all that mattered now.

When I arrived back at the gallery it was very dark. My assistant probably left early- even better I can work on a new painting in honor of Emily. She told me of the special place she would dream of to get rid of the pain. It was a small beach along the English channel, she also descirbed a small cottage that would sit just on a hill in front of the ocean. The sky would be blue and sunny, the sand that would feel like silk beneath her small toes and she would have that radiant smile upon her face. Her eyes would compliment the sparkle of the waves and her cheeks would be kissed by the sun. Emily and I agreed to one day visit her enchanted place, maybe she was already there. Maybe she would be waiting for me.

I quickly found the light switch and flicked them on. But I suddenly wished to keep them off because of the horror that was all over the room. My paintings were thrown about everywhere, some were ripped to shreds or cut from all angles. A few of them had weird red marks all over them, some of my canvases had some sort of clown faces imprinted on them. It was all ruined. Who could have done this?

I walked along the mess scanning for any sign of the criminal, my heart raced faster and faster. I was afraid someone or something would jump out at me. But the place was completely empty...I was alone.

Without noticing I stepped on shattered glass and looked down to be careful where I stepped. As I looked down, I noticed a poker card on the ground. I picked it up and turned it around to reveal a joker. I could feel my heart rise up to my throat. There was only one person I could ask for help and who would take quick action than the police...Batman.

Without further hesitation I decided to go where the bat signal was. I also took the card and a small canvas with me to show him, maybe he knew who the freak was.

My mind raced with so many thoughts as I waited for him to show up. Were they trying to get to me or kill me?

"Waiting for the bat to show up?" I turned abruptly to see who spoke, in an instant I recognized Jasper's voice. He came closer to where I was sitting.

"Stay away from me!" I tried to hide the things I had brought with me. "What are you doing here? Are you following me?"

He chuckled darkly and shook his head. "No, I saw you come out of the gallery. I wanted to see how you were since the accident."

"Bull shit, you never cared for me why do you want to know how I am now?" I rose my brow and examined his face; cold and stern like it always is. "You were working for the person who ordered for the explosion of the hotel weren't you! I knew you were behind this! Who is this freak!" I yelled with all the fury I had in me.

"I was not involved." I could tell he was lying.

"Stop lying Jasper, tell the truth for once. And do pray tell what your boss was up to tonight because my gallery was completely ruined."

"What are you talking about? I did not know about that." Jasper expression turned confused but I didn't want to believe him.

I sighed with frustration and decided not to say anything about it anymore. "He will be here soon, I suggest you leave."

"Why? Do you plan on fornicating with the Gotham Vigilante as well." Jasper returned to his cool smile.

"She probably came for help." Jasper and I both turned at the sound of the dark smooth voice.

"Maybe." replied Jasper keeping his eyes on Batman as I went over to him.

"Something happened in the gallery, everything was ruined and destroyed. Someone painted this all over the canvases and I found this on the floor." I handed him the card and the canvas, he studied it for a few moments and looked up at me.

"It's the joker, he was the one that planted the bomb at the hotel. He is after you for some reason." Batman looked to Jasper's direction. "And he should know why."

Jasper eyes went wide and backed up as Batman approached him. "Alright, alright." It was too late Batman had grabbed him by the neck.

"Where is he? Why is he doing this!" Batman growled.

"He is doing this because he wants to get back at me and you. He knows she means something to you. And I messed a few things up the night of the bombing and knows that I would never kill her, so he wants to do it. That way you might reveal your identity and kill you in the process." Jasper struggled as Batman's grip tightened around his neck. Batman's eyes shifted toward me, he dropped Jasper in the process.

"You are not safe here, go. I need to go after him."

"You don't have to do this for me. You are saving me once again." I came closer to him, to my surprise he took my hand and squeezed it.

"I will do whatever I have to do to keep you safe. It will plague me if I lose you." Something about the way he said it was so familiar...was he..no it can't be. Before I could question him any further he already vanished into the night to go after the man who was threatening to kill us both.

A/N: Ah! Now all hell is about to break loose! Again sorry for the delay had a lot of stuff to do this week. School is almost out and I am working hard to maintain grades up. Thanks to my fave reviewers, "DazzledInDarkness (Lillith), JazzTrumpet, Batmans'sidekick 16, Trisklesque, DMarEssence." Please keep reviewing it motivates me and I will update soon! Possibly tomorrow night...so keep an eye out and don't forget to review!

:) Michelle