She was still sleeping when he walked in, her hand reaching out delicately on the pillow as her still wet hair covered over her face. Scarlett breathed lightly through her parted lips, blind to the new person that entered the room. The floorboards didn't creak as he walked to her side; he hesitated before raising his hand out millimetres from Scarlett's face. It was remarkable how his palm, if he extended it enough would cover her delicate facial features completely.

Before his strong fingertips touched Scarlett he recoiled and took back his hand, bringing it to his side as he marched around to the wide window and peered out. Taking a seat he reclined back fully and continued to watch her until Scarlett began to stir.

Something pulled Scarlett from her sleep; begrudgingly she awoke and softly mumbled a cluster of incoherent words as she found the power to open her eyes. At first her mind was confused, 'Was she no longer in Blackgate?' Then the flood of realisation occurred and she recalled everything, including the pleasant room she'd fallen asleep in.

Greedily Scarlett wanted more sleep but her mind sensed something so, very slowly her head angled around and looked over at the man hunched expectantly in the room corner's chair.

Bane's eyes pointed like a predator as he judged her reaction to seeing him, waiting for her to say something. In the bed Scarlett lifted her upper body slowly and clutched the split of her robe with one hand gently. She too waited for Bane to speak.

When the silence was almost too much for Scarlett to stand another moment, Bane began to speak, asking her a question she didn't expect.

"Are you enjoying the new surroundings?"

She wondered whether it may be a trick question, but after another pause Scarlett nodded her head lightly and answered, "Yes"

"And did you enjoy Blackgate?" Bane continued and Scarlett instantly felt the atmosphere in the room drop, it was a trick question and the only feeling she got now was one of entrapment.

This time Scarlett shook her head, "No" She most definitely did not enjoy her time Blackgate Penitentiary. Bane nodded thoughtfully, as if deliberating what her answers meant. He glanced at the floor and then back to Scarlett's big eyes.

"Do you want to return to your apartment?" He probed

Scarlett thought about her answer, "No" She decided after shaking her head first. Bane nodded his head, once again deliberating his thoughts. Arms resting on his knees, Bane steepled his hands and nodded them in sync with his head before asking his next enquiry.

"…Do you want me to go there?" A glint appeared in his dark pupils.

Scarlett's response came quickly as she worked out the hidden meaning behind Bane's questioning, David was hopefully still managing to live in her apartment, Bane was trying to make a point.

"No" She stated quickly, shaking her head more decisively.

Bane's response came quicker though, his posture became stiffer, shoulders rounding over while his strong hands clenched into tight fists. His tone became firmer and there was an edge to his voice that frightened Scarlett.

"Then why, when I tell you, when I explain to you what would happen if you left do you go and do it anyway?"

Scarlett glanced at the bedcovers while Bane spoke, she peered up when he stopped speaking and removed herself from the ocean of blankets. Standing up she walked over to him, Bane continued to stare at her the entire time, Scarlett halted an arm's length away from him.

"I was afraid" She answered timidly before raising her head and gaining an inch more confidence, "I didn't want to watch you and Batman fight, breaking each other's bones and tearing strips off each other."

Bane stood up abruptly, and shook out his arms before looking down at Scarlett with a raised eyebrow. "Wayne didn't lay a finger on me" He said firmly.

Scarlett put her knuckle to her lip, she nodded, "I know" Tapping the knuckle on her lip, Scarlett paused, hesitating before she thought over what Bane said and backtracked.

"Would you try to make sure my apartment is safe for him?" Scarlett watched Bane give her a look through his mask, he raised his eyebrow at her. She didn't use his name, feeling that it would piss Bane off no more.

"We make our own way in this life" He answered, subtly declining the proposal. Scarlett's face fell as she thought about the terrible things Gotham's people were going to start turning to survive.

"Innocent people are going to get hurt" Her voice rose slightly and Bane narrowed his gaze in response, staring her down. Scarlett bit her lip as he argued with her. When he didn't drop the fierce gaze, Scarlett wilted and put her fingertips over her eyelids before looking back up again. "I don't see things from your point of view" She confessed, carefully wording her sentence so as Bane's anger was stilled.

"Gotham is a cesspool" Bane began declaratively, "It's full of liars, corruption and cut into two halves; the obscenely rich step all over the poor and that's the way its always been. Things had to change"

He was right about Gotham being spilt into two, but this wasn't the way to go about changing structure. "Then by your own words I should be out there, fighting for survival with every other person who lives in Gotham's cesspool" Scarlett bit back, her temper flared and she spun around, intending to walk out again.

Bane grabbed her and brought her back to his side sharply, he grabbed her chin when she avoided his gaze in preference to the floor. "You already tried that - Who put you in Blackgate prison?"

She didn't answer.

"The police put you in a male penitentiary designed for thugs, rapists, murderers and thieves. They put you there when a blind man can see that every fibre of your being screams innocence. Is that fair?" He said, watching every flicker of emotion creep into Scarlett's face, Bane's own expression didn't alter when a tear ran down her cheek. "Is it?!" He yelled.

"No" Scarlett obliged by answering him and reinforced the answer by shaking her head.

"We're putting the people of Gotham in charge of running things now. They'll start by judging everyone part of the hierarchy" Bane concluded the argument and released Scarlett but continued to look at her; his gaze was less fierce when she kept eye contact.

Delicately Scarlett brushed away the tear from her cheek and sniffed lightly, she smiled fleetingly before bring her hand up to her mouth. Her lips touched the skin of her fingertips before she pivoted the hand and brought it up to Bane's mask - where his mouth would be.

Scarlett allowed her touch to linger on the cool metal for a moment before a hue of pink coloured her cheeks softly. Inching forward she continued the exchange of affection by wrapping her arms around Bane's massive body till her cheek touched the metal of his vest.

"Thank you for getting me out of that place" She said, as she did Bane hauled her into his arms till she was eye level with him.

As though she weighed nothing he held her there, and, with her arms free, Scarlett explored his features. Her touch was shy, feather-light as she caressed the mask and the skin it left uncovered with a smile on her face. Bane looked at her, his eyes taking the sight of her till he relaxed and allowed his eyes to close with a sigh.

A smile crept over Scarlett's face as she rested her head on his, allowing her hair to cascade around them while Bane walked them to the centre of the room.