I look up at the door. Had I mentioned that it had been pouring? I was soaked. Alfred looked shocked to see me in such a state.

"Miss Lorcan, what are you doing out in the rain?"

I smile weakly.

"I need to talk to somebody I can trust."

He opens the door wider and lets me in. I step in. The sound of a clatter at the bottom of the stairs. My head snaps up quickly. A male. 19 or so. Handsom. Brown hair. I turn away from the gauking boy to look at Al.

"What of Master Wayne?" Al asks as I twirl a pen in my hand like I would the blade in my pocket.

I glare at the mention of Bruce.

"Is at work," I snip darkly as I stabe the pen into the table by me.

Al's eyes widen a little.

"What has the Master done now?"
I frown.

"I'm tired of it, Al. It's because of him that this is happening to me. Then when I get used to it he goes and makes me look weak." My fists clinch as I speak. "Then when he starts to woo me and work so hard at winning me over," my hand smacks the table hard, "He ignores me! Like I am some common trash! Now Tim is gone! The Riddler is bothering me and The Joker thinks I belong to him! I'm sick and tired of men!"

I close my eyes at the releif I felt from getting that out. I let a deep breath out. Al looks a little stunned by my out burst.

"Sorry. Been bottling it up," I say in a soft, embarassed laugh. "I had nobody else to talk to. Nobody that would listen."

"Let's get some tea," Al says in a kind voice with one arm around my shoulders to lead me.

I nod as I start to cry again. I fall into the chair at the island bar in the kitchen. Al quickly starts to make tea. I lean forwards with my head buried in my arms.

"Is everything alright?" the boy asks as he makes his pressance known.

The boy sits next to me. His arm was lifted and ready to go around my shoulders.

"I wouldn't do that," Alfred says before the boy can touch me.

I sit up and look at Al as he puts a cup of tea in front of me. I sip it daintily.

"I was starting to fall for Bruce, Alfred," I wisher in admistion to something I tried to lie to myself about.

Alfred sits next to me. I lean my head on his shoulder. A sad laugh comes out.

"I always hated girls who went crying to others about their problems," I laugh through my tears.

"Sometimes we need to have somebody else to talk to about them."

"I'm afraid for once, Al. I can't control my suroundings any more. Tim is tilting and everything is shifting."

Al looks me in the eye. I showed the fear in my eyes once more. Tim was tilting towards the ways of the Joker. I sigh as I sit up and sip my tea. The tears had stopped. I was too stubborn to allow them to fall so long and freely.

"Alfred," Bruce calls as he steps into the kitchen without looking. "I need a few dowzen red tulips."

I stiffen. The cup is set down slowly and silently. I stand in a whirl as Bruce sees me. His eyes widened at the sight of me, soaked, once crying, and surrounded by the two men. I march out the back door to the garden.

I walked briskly for the drive. Bruce was hot on my heel.

"Maeve!" Bruce calls after me as he tries to catch up.

I whirl around on the drive when he turns me. I glar up at him. He stands tall. His face was shadowed by the lights further up the drive. I was in clear light. He looked down at me with too many thoughts and emotions in his eyes. I yank my arm from his.

"What do you want, Wayne?" I demand in a dark hiss. "More pretending? Just because I know, you want to 'care' about me?"

"No, Maeve," he demands in his forceful voice. I shiver at the voice. I rubbed my arms, cold from my soaked clothes and the chill wind. "I have always cared. I don't care that you know."

I laugh at him. It was a dark laugh, showing the strain on my heart and mind.

"Do you think I will believe that? You have been ignoring me and pretending I do not exist since I told you I knew," I snap.

He steps closer to me. Stretching his arm out to touch me. I jerk out of reach. Glarring death at him.

"Don't touch me."

He looks upset with my response to that. His hand falls and he looks me in the eye with such heat in his eyes that it almost hurt.

"You're going to get sick."

"Do I care?"

Silence. I look away from him. Looking longingly toward the lights of Gotham. I my anger was slipping away. Pain and sadness were filling that space. It would be gone in seconds. I look at Bruce with every bit of pain and sadness I felt.

"Rachel was right. He rules your life. We shouldn't wait for you. Can't," I whisper.

I turn and bolt down the drive then. I was glad it had stopped raining. Bruce wasn't shocked for long. He caught me at the closed gate. I was just about to climb it. I cry out as he grabs me from behind and lifts me over his shoulder. I yelled and struggled as he walked back to the mansion with me over his shoulder.

"Bruce!" I yell as he kicks the front doors open.

Alfred and the boy were there to watch.

"Bruce Wayne, you put me down now! I'm not going to listen to you! Let me go!" I cry as he marches up the stairs.

"Alfred, can you get some dry clothes for Miss Lorcan and some hot chocolate," Bruce calls as he leads me towards his room.

"I'm not staying here!"

I let out a startled cry as I'm dropped on the bed. Al comes in with a dress and under garments. I'm pushed into the bathroom. I stare at the closed door for a moment. I was freezing. I sigh and give in. The shower would be welcome.

I step out an hour later. I was dressed and frowning. Bruce frowned as well. Alfred smiled.

"Where did you get this dress, Al? Rachel's old clothes from when she was a kid?"

He smiles wider. I look down at the pink dress. It fit perfectly, well besides the strain from my chest.

"It fits nicely, Miss Lorcan. Just a small adjustment," Al says before handing Bruce the steaming cup and blanket.

I follow Bruce to the library down the hall. I sit on the chair I found myself in quite frequently when I came here as a child. Bruce throws the blanket over me while I sigh and lay back. My eyes open to frown at him as he puts the cup in my hands.

The boy was standing a little away. Bruce sat in the chair closest to me. I frown, but sip the drink. It was warm and felt good, physically and mentally. I sit up a bit more.

"I'm not forgiving you so easily this time, Wayne," I mutter before placing my drink on the table by me.

"How long shall Miss be staying?" Alfred asks as he peaks in.

I perk up and snap a reply before Bruce can.

"Not long. I have things to do. People to find."

"No." Bruce made it sound like a comand.

My head slowly turns to glare at him. He gazes at me calmly. The boy steps forward, speaking again, eyes on me but talking to Bruce.

"She isn't your wife, Bruce."

I laugh. "Thank God."

Bruce frowns at me. I pale.

"I wouldn't ever," I growl while locking eyes with Bruce.

"What's wrong with me? I could take care of you," Bruce defends.

I laugh at him as I wave my hands at me on the couch and everything in general.

"You got me in this mess. I could never just sit around now. You want a wife that will be home for you and let you protect her. I would be out there fighting along with you or being hurt constantly."

The phone on the table started to play Psyco Killer by The Talking Heads. I snatch it before Bruce could. I sit up with the blanket pooled in my lap.

"Hello?" I ask in a sweet tone as I look at the roof with the phone to my ear.

"Miss Lorcan," that unforgettable voice drawls.

I sigh as I roll my eyes and sit up a little straighter. I couldn't speak. Too anxious.

"How is your evening?" Trying to make small talk? What is he aiming at?

"Marvelous," I snear sarcastically. "Why are you trying to make small talk? Bored? Actually interested in my life? If so then here is a run down. My son was 'kidnapped' with the Mayor's daughter. My love interest pissed me off and ruined his chances. I'm soaking wet, in my dead sister's old dress. Wishing to kill you. Wondering when my secretary actually got courage. Thinking of ways to kill you and everybody who pisses me off. All in all, a great day."

He laughs. I hear voices in the background.

"I need your help with, uh. something, Maeve."

"No." It was automatic.

I snap the phone shut. I relax on the couch.

"Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run awwaaaayy," my phone sings.

"What?" I growl into the phone.

"You, uh, need better mannors, Miss Lorcan."

"Shut up. Not having a good day. Do men not understand that? Maybe if I stabbed you in the eye you might understand that," I hiss with my eyes closed. I looked relaxed.

"That would be fun," he laughs. My hand in my hair twitches. "I need you to get in with the Riddler."

"Why?" I sigh lazily, giving in.

"Help me get my town back."

"It's mine. Not yours."

I hang up on him again. He doesn't call back. I groan in a whinning way, before getting up and putting my shoes on. I gather my things before snatcing the keys Bruce left on the table.

"Got things to do at work," I say airily in explanation as I look at the keys.