"Yes, Detective." Bruce said as he turned to face Detective Richards.
"Mr. Wayne, I understand that you are being pulled in several directions right now. If I could ask you a few questions, I would be able to leave you and your family alone and continue my investigation. I figured I would wait to ask your wife anything until she was home." She said to him.
"Then ask your questions, Detective. As you said I have things to do." Bruce said as they began to walk towards the house.
Within minutes, Detective Richards had asked her questions to Bruce. "Well, Mr. Wayne. That answers all the questions I have at this point. Here is my card. Please call me if you think of anything else. Also, please ask your wife to call me once she is feeling up to speaking to me." She said.
"I will, Detective. Good day, Detective." Bruce said standing to shake her hand from his seat in the library.
"Of course, Mr. Wayne. Have a good day, sir." The detective said as she stood with her notebook and left the library heading out of the house.
Later that night, Mari was waiting in a hospital room alone. She was drifting in and out of sleep due to lack of rest and the painkillers the doctors gave her while cleaning and stitching the deep wounds on her back. She was trying to stay alert as the bomb in her car earlier told her she was not safe but it was so hard when the medicine was fighting back. Just as she would drop off a noise would catch her attention waking her up. Her mind would race after the noise and begin to calm down drawing her back into sleep starting the cycle again. She heard the doctor's voice outside her room shortly before she drifted off again. The noise of the door opening caused her to sit up quickly.
Mari looked around and saw him across the room as the doctor continued to talk to him. He was bored as she could tell, he hated when people just carried a conversation just to talk to him. She thought, 'Just be patient, he'll go away. You'll just stare at him and he'll melt away like they all do.' The doctor after another minute disappeared. She was drifting towards sleep again. She heard the door close but could not pull out of the sleep again so soon. A low voice whispered as she fell asleep, "Go ahead and sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."
Several days later, Bruce was coming home early to check on Mari and the kids. The explosion in front of the house was connected to a bomb as Mari thought. Bruce had been investigating to find out who could be after either Mari or Ella. Batman had gotten information from Commissioner Gordon and it seemed to be leading to Catwoman but Bruce wanted hard proof. The new armored car Bruce ordered for Mari and the kids had arrived last week. Bruce had made sure there were special features added to the car before it was delivered. Being heavier then normal cars, there was a driver who Bruce hired for the car who had been trained for security,
Bruce checked with Alfred who told him that Natalie had the children in the playroom and Mari was resting in the library. He walked in the library finding Mari napping on the couch. It was a damp day so she had started a fire. He walked to the couch and pulled a blanket across Mari. She stirred from the movement. "Shh, go back to sleep, sweetheart." Bruce said quietly. Hearing his voice, Mari relaxed and fell back to sleep. After checking in with Natalie, Bruce went down to the cave and began to review more pieces to figure out who placed the bomb on Mari's car.
It was in the cave that Mari found him later that night. He heard the elevator start and turned to see who came down. Mari stepped off rubbing her arms against the dampness of the cave. She walked over to where Bruce studied over the pieces using the computers. "Enjoy your nap, sweetheart?" he asked when she reached his side.
"It was mostly the painkillers. You know how I hate those things because I get so sleepy." She said looking at the table in front of them. "Any luck in your research, Bruce?"
"Actually, I have been able to trace a piece back to Isis Industries."
"Is that good or bad news?"
"Good news. Means I can hand my research over to Gordon and he can arrest her for attempted murder."
"I just hope she stays put this time. Her obsession over you and our son is disturbing. I can't believe still that she'd resort to murder to get you and Christian."
"The cuts on your back are enough proof for me of how sick she can be." Bruce said turning to face her. "Now I doubt that you came down here to talk my night life. What's going on, Mari?"
"Alfred wanted me to remind you of dinner as well as the benefit we have to attend tonight. I am dreading this because of all the questions that I will have to deal with from these nasty bitter women." Mari said shuddering slightly.
"Let's go get dinner and let me think about how to deal with the ladies of Gotham." Bruce said standing and placing his arm around her waist.
When they arrived at the benefit that night, Bruce kept Mari near his side all night. Not even Barbara Gordon or Angela Garcia got her away from him. The ladies who gossiped usually were surprised at Bruce's protective streak that night. Barbara and Angela though understood. Mari could have been killed and if Bruce wanted to keep her close it only made sense to them to go to Mari and Bruce. Some of Gotham's politicians tried to pull them apart when Bruce would comment, "Gentlemen, I'm sorry but if you don't want to talk with my wife around I suggest that you make an appointment at Wayne Enterprises."
One tried to talk him out of it, "Come on, Bruce. I'm sure that Anna would be happier off talking to the other ladies."
The anger showed for a single moment on Bruce's face. Mari's touch to his arm shifted his focus. "Then I can see you don't understand. My wife and daughter could have been killed and if you can't appreciate why I worry about my wife being safe the first time out after this then I would suggest we talk at another time." Bruce said as he slipped his arm around Mari's waist and walked away.
Within weeks, Bruce's evidence was enough for Gordon to get an arrest warrant for Catwoman. It was announced through the news. Catwoman was hiding in her lair and fumed over the announcement. "If they want to catch me, I'll play their cat and mouse game but not before I kill the Wayne women with my bear hands." She said using her whip to destroy the TV in front of her.
Mari had been on alert since the announcement was made. 'She'll be after us I know it.' She said to herself. Mari went everywhere with Nancy or Dimitri. Ella's school was under police protection as Bruce had received threats towards the school. The police had made things better and the parents of her classmates who knew Ella and Mari supported them both.
It was a month after the announcement that Catwoman made her final strike. Bruce was at late night meetings at Wayne Enterprises and Mari and the kids were out at a movie. Mari was waiting in the lobby of the movie theater while Dimitri went to get the car. Nancy stepped out and motioned to Mari to lead the kids out. She and Nancy had placed Christian and Ella into the car when Catwoman struck. Mari was grabbed from behind and pulled up into the air. She struggled against the rope holding her. A voice suddenly called out to her, "I wouldn't struggle too much, Mrs. Wayne. We wouldn't want something unfortunate to happen now would we?"
Mari recognized the voice and called to Nancy, "Get the kids out of here. Call Bruce, tell him to get Gordon. Make sure they know it's Catwoman."
Nancy got into the car and Mari watched fear rising in her throat as her children disappeared into the darkness of Gotham's city streets. She was suddenly pulled up and stood face to face with Catwoman who spoke next.
"Looks like Wayne's little dove and I get to play again. Wonder if I need to sharpen my claws." She said beginning to laugh. Mari was furious and slapped her. Catwoman struck back causing Mari to fall and hit her head.
