WARNING: Explicit content.
Nightwing came out to play for the first time one night a couple days after the incident. Blake had decided to share his identity with the Commissioner, who took it upon himself to introduce the blue-masked man to the population.
"As many had suspected, the Batman who had returned a few months ago was not the originalBatman. As we know, the original Batman died heroically saving this city from Bane's short lived reign of terror a year ago. Our new, mentored by Batman himself, friendly neighbor, is Nightwing. He had initially taken the dark knight form so people could be comfortable with a familiar face, and eventually realize they could trust him. We in the GCPD welcome this new hero, in hopes that one day this city can be what Batman had envisioned for it, and in that way we can honor his memory."
"How do you feel?", Selina asked, turning off the TV just after Jim Gordon's speech at the press conference was over.
"Nostalgic," Bruce answered looking absentminded, staring blankly at the darkened screen.
"Bruce," she muttered, scooching closer to him on the couch, "you don't have to do this. I know what Alfred thinks, but I'll support you and be on your side no matter what."
"No," he replied, finally snapping out of it and looking at her, "nostalgia is good. Means I had something good there for a while, something that'll be missed. But I have something even better right here now, something I wouldn't trade for the world. I have a whole future with you," he stroked her cheek shortly, "Nightwing can look after Gotham... I only want to look after you. By the way - what kind of name is that?", he asked, wrinkling his nose.
"Yeah, I don't know. But no offense, what kind of name is Batman anyway?", she said jokingly.
He chuckled softly and rested his hand on her leg, looking deep in thought.
They were sitting in the office couch near the fireplace to fight the cold. Winter had arrived in Gotham and the first snow shower had hit the night before, coincidentally the day Bruce was leaving the hospital. They sat there quietly under the blankets and remained silent for a while, just distractedly observing the flames.
"I don't know if this is the best time to bring this up... but something Pamela said back at Holly's apartment that other day was stuck in my head for days," Bruce started talking, looking slightly nervous, as Selina waited patiently, but curiously, "okay, now that you're here and I'm saying it, I suddenly feel like this was a horrible idea. I feel like I should just drop it."
"Are you serious?", she asked and rolled her eyes annoyed, "You can't do that, you can't start something like this and not finish it."
Bruce stared at her, unsure and unsettled. He eventually caved in and stood up, walking towards a heavy bookshelf and grabbing a thick black folder from in between books.
"Perhaps I made the wrong call by doing this without talking to you first. Please, forgive me if I've overstepped here," he said and sat down next to her again, handing her the package.
"What is this?", she asked reluctantly, analyzing the unlabeled plastic cover.
"This...", he hesitated, "is everything Alfred could find on your siblings... Pamela mentioned you were looking for them back then, and I thought maybe... I don't know."
Selina's eyes widened in surprise as her head spun. She gulped and looked down to the folder again, brushing her fingers softly through pages on the side, scared to actually open and see them. Curiosity was almost taking over her, when fear began talking louder.
"Did you open them?", she asked; her voice came out scratchy and uncertain.
"No, not at all," he promptly answered, "I didn't want to... you know... not before you..."
She kept quiet for so long, just looking at the plain cover, Bruce started to get nervous again. Maybe this had all been an awful mistake. He should've known better. She never asked for this. Hell, she was a great detective, if she'd wanted this, she could've probably found it way before, but she never did. He didn't even know the content of those pages, he had no idea how this could affect her - and her still recovering emotional stability. He'd just assumed because he would never get a chance to know his own family, and she could, maybe she'd want one with hers.
Seconds before he started agitatedly mumbling and blabbering all kinds of apologies for his intrusion, she spoke.
"I don't need to open these."
"Okay... so you had found them before?", he asked confused.
"No," she said firmly, then sighed, "but I know... I know Aiden is tall, really tall now. He played basketball in high school; now he lives with his high school sweetheart. He still has dimples. He went to Med school, he's in a surgical residency program now on the East Coast. He was always fascinated by all things "doctorly", and he liked taking care of people, so I guess that makes sense."
Selina smiled faintly and Bruce kept staring attentively.
"Maggie... is an artist. She's like those hipsters with their berets and nose piercings. She likes modern art - mostly abstract paintings and sculptures and these sorts of things. But she also likes painting people; but only when they're distracted, and just the ones she cares about. She's amazing at it, though, she could paint you a perfect portrait in an hour if she put her mind to it. And she usually uses only warm colors, though her favorite is green."
"How do you know all of this?", Bruce asked confounded.
She sighed, "I don't. That's the story I tell myself, based on what I knew about them back then... And I'm happy with it."
"You don't wanna know if it's real or not?"
"No," she replied promptly, but then sighed and looked at the folder, seeming no longer sure, "I don't know. I don't think so. Can you keep those, though?", she asked, handing Bruce the papers back, "Just in case someday I might."
"Of course."
"I love you for doing this, though," she relaxed and kissed his cheek slowly, "I'm sorry you went through all this trouble for nothing."
"No, I'm sorry I didn't talk to you before I did."
Selina chuckled lightly, "I admit, if you had done this when we first met or when we were still getting to know each other, I would've flipped. But you know me better than anyone else in the world now, and we're partners, so I don't mind. I actually think it's sweet that you'd be curious to know about my family like this. But the thing is, you are my family now. You're all I got and you're also all I need."
Bruce smiled and went for her lips, kissing her tenderly and softly, trying to alleviate and let out at least a bit of the warmth that had taken over his chest because of her words. As soon as she wrapped her arms around his neck to deepen the kiss, they heard a knock on the door and then the sound of someone clearing their throat.
"Master, Miss, uh, I'm sorry to interrupt, but dinner's ready," Alfred announced, seeming embarrassed; but Selina could've sworn she'd seen his lips upturning the slightest bit.
"Well, you and Alfred, of course", she mumbled to Bruce, grinning.
—
Bruce and Selina left Holly's building embracing themselves against the cool howling winds. She had wanted to say goodbye to her and Pam in person since they'd be flying out of Gotham again that night, and although she was feeling a bit blue, she left there certain that leaving was the right choice.
Bruce had invited them over for a visit someday, and Pam was visibly excited about the idea, specially when he mentioned they could take the Wayne jet. Jen, on the other hand, though also flattered, tried to keep a more restrained reaction. To him, she could be intimidatingly protective of Selina, but that was actually one of the reasons why he liked her, even if the feeling wasn't apparently mutual. Aside from her criminal life, he really believed her to be a good and loyal friend to Selina, specially amongst all the crappy people she'd met throughout her life.
Selina had insisted on them taking the subway again, saying she wanted to take the opportunity to be a commoner one last time before returning to their "bourgeois life". As they silently walked down the street to the station and passed a dark alley, Selina smiled amused at the floor, and Bruce eyed her curiously. Only a second later, she'd grabbed the little girl's hand on the act and turned her body around, pressing her face against the concrete wall.
"Ouch ," the girl groaned.
"Well, knock me over with a feather," Selina said.
Bruce stared deadpanned at Selina, grappling an 11-year-old, with her arm tackling the nape of her neck to keep her in place.
"Selina!", he exclaimed in shock, ready to intervene, "What the hell ar..."
"Bruce, meet Cassandra Cain."
"What?"
"Selina?", the girl called out, surprised and suddenly more relaxed.
Selina let go of her and the kid turned to look at them.
"I see you still don't know how to choose your targets."
"Well, I saw the fancy logo on your bag...", she mumbled, still a bit out of breath and dumbfounded.
"Still kinda important to check faces."
"Sorry."
"No worries, kid," Selina reached inside her bag and pulled a couple of dollar bills, "here... this should cover you for some time."
Cassandra glanced at Bruce rapidly, then grabbed the money from Selina.
"Thanks, Cat," she said and began treading quickly away from them.
"Be careful," Selina exclaimed before she was too far.
"What was that?", Bruce asked perplexed as they started walking again.
Selina chuckled, "That's Cassandra. One of the neighborhood orphans... I... taught her a few things."
"Oh... okay... I'm sure you meant well. Are you some kind of twisted hero in this part of town and I don't know?", he joked.
"Far from it," she laughed, "but no one hurts kids and women in my neighborhood without my consent."
"Without your consent? "
"Women can be assholes too. Duh."
He laughed, "Alright... but now, since we're going where we're going, wouldn't it have been better to get the girl to come along, instead of just giving her money?"
"Yeah, no," she replied and Bruce raised his eyebrows inquisitively. Selina sighed, "She'd never accept it. She's been on streets since she was 8, that's all she knows. She kinda reminds me of me... so trust me, she's not going anywhere. I even tried and offered to take her in once or twice," she muttered, and Bruce looked slightly surprised about that last part. "Some kids just don't fit in anywhere else."
"It was nice of you to offer, anyway."
"Well... I mean, after she refused I had to at least teach her to fend for herself," she said, and Bruce nodded, "do you think you can ask Blake to keep an eye on her, though? Just check in on her once in a while, make sure she doesn't get into too much trouble."
"Of course," he smiled, a bit in a daze at this unforeseen side of her. After everything, she could still surprise him with her unpredictability.
By the time they got to the entrance of their building, Alfred was already there with the car parked waiting for them. There were some journalists and paparazzi at the door, but nothing too crowded; they managed to slip in without much difficulty, ignoring their questions and requests for comments.
The drive to the former Wayne Manor was very quiet for both of them, for entirely different reasons. Bruce had all of his memories of the place as a kid, and then as an adult, for which most was his recluse phase. Selina had in mind the last time she'd been there, when she still thought Batman was dead and she was instructed by him to crack his safe, only a year earlier. If someone had told her that's where she'd be again after all this time, and with whom, she would've thought they'd lost their mind.
Alfred parked the car at the entrance, in front of the stairs leading to the enormous mansion. There were a few young kids playing in the snow in the front yard, while some were running to get inside and get away from the cold. Selina noticed when Bruce took a deep breath as he longingly stared at the plaque, "Martha and Thomas Wayne Home for Children", still unmoving. She grabbed his hand and gave him a reassuring smile, and that was all the encouragement he needed.
As they walked towards the house, the children started noticing them, and Bruce smiled discreetly as he heard them whispering shocked about him. Alfred followed them close behind and eventually complimented the kids, who he seemed to be weirdly familiar with, remembering each of their names.
"I come here often," he explained when Bruce eyed him confused, "I believe you could say I have a soft spot for orphans."
The three of them chuckled lightly and continued walking when a snowball hit Bruce on the arm.
"Oh my god, Damian! I told you to be careful," a little girl yelled at a little boy, who appeared to be around six and who stared at them with widened eyes, looking terrified.
"I-I'm so-sorry, Mr... Wayne, I-I...", he stuttered.
"It's no problem, kid. Damian, is that right?"
"Ye-yes."
"Damian here is quite the pitcher," Alfred said.
"Oh, yeah? Selina here is quite the batter too," Bruce said as he winked at her, referring to the time when she used Harley's bat to get rid of a bomb.
She laughed, "Yeah, maybe you can pitch me some time."
Damian looked even more petrified then, but he managed to speak, "Is... is it true you came back from the dead?"
Bruce chuckled, "Metaphorically speaking."
The boy was even more confused, but replied, "Oh."
"You wanna show us around, Damian?", Selina asked.
"Ahm... sure," he replied and ran to them, and she was a bit startled when he grabbed her hand and started leading her inside. She looked back at Bruce and saw that he smiled too.
The first room at the entrance had been turned into a common room; lots of kids hung around playing cards and board games, spread across the tables or splattered over beanbags. Many looked at them curious, whispering and gossiping, but continued with their business after a while.
The first thing Bruce saw, though, was the big picture hung up over the fireplace. His heart clenched tightly in his chest as he observed the image of his parents, smiling with their arms around a miniature version of him. He noticed Selina stared at it too, seeming almost oblivious to everything else. Their eyes met and he saw that she was touching her pearls from under her coat, noticing his mother wore them in the picture.
Alfred had gone somewhere and shortly after returned with a woman, interrupting their thoughts. She had kind eyes and looked a bit older, maybe in her 60s, and came up to them with a huge beam.
"Mr. and Mrs. Wayne, we're so happy to finally have you here!", she exclaimed.
They both laughed softly glancing at each other, though seeing no point in correcting her. Alfred smiled.
"And, of course, to also to find out you're alive and well, Mr. Wayne. My name is Leslie Thompkins, I'm the head coordinator here at the orphanage. It basically means I'm in charge of all these kids and that I haven't slept in a year," she joked, shaking their hands.
"It's very nice to meet you," Bruce said, "I'm so grateful to you for taking care of the kids and my parents' legacy so well."
"Thank you, Mr. Wayne, I do what I can... I see you've met Damian already," she noticed the boy, who was still holding onto Selina's hand, "he's not usually so... uninhibited."
"I'm showing them the house," he explained, appearing vaguely blushed.
"I see... well, lead the way, then," she said.
"I don't think the orphans are the only reason you're here so much," Bruce whispered quietly to Alfred, though Selina was able to hear and giggled softly.
Miss Thompkins took and hung their coats, and then her and Damian led them through the house, showing them the bedrooms and canteens and study rooms. It was still odd for Bruce to be shown around his former house, even though it looked different. The woman explained to them the kids' routine and their activities and how they were trying to facilitate the adoption process so they could find permanent families.
She also presented a project of her own to help kids who were growing out of the system and had nowhere to go; the idea was to raise funding to help them go to college or give them job opportunities and something to start with. Bruce was quick to offer her financial help, and support to hold a fundraiser in town - his old contacts had a lot to spare.
As they found their way through the many corridors, they stopped in front of a particular door. Miss Thompkins unlocked it and stepped out of their way.
"We kept this room as it was," she gave Bruce a meaningful look, "no one's allowed here, of course. Come, Damian, let's give them some privacy."
"Does she know anything?", Bruce asked Alfred after they left.
"No. I only asked her to keep the room saying it was important to you."
"Okay, what am I missing here?", Selina asked.
Bruce led her inside and she looked around, finding nothing particularly remarkable or conspicuous. It was just a large office with a set of leather couches, full of bookshelves and a grand piano.
"I have to have a conversation with Miss Thompkins, Master Wayne, I'll meet you two outside after," Alfred said and shut the door behind him.
"What am I looking at here?", she whispered, so quietly Bruce didn't hear.
Selina treaded calmly around, studying the bookshelf and its titles; they were mostly classics and medical books. Everything was slightly dusty; not like the room had been abandoned, but as if it was barely used or cleaned. A picture frame on the corner caught her eye and she picked it up, wiping the dust off of it. She'd seen that photo before, though not in that room. It was the night she met Bruce.
Bruce's attention was somewhere else, touching the keyboard on the piano and remembering when his mother's playing would echo through the rooms. He closed his eyes and for a second it was like he could hear it again. He opened them again, searching for the comforting sight of Selina wearing her pearls, when he saw what she was looking at. A note came flying out of the soundboard as his hand faltered on the keys.
She turned his eyes to him, slightly startled, and he walked over to her, gently taking the frame from her hands without looking at it. He returned it back to the shelf with Rachel's face put down, and touched her cheek softly. Her expression was unreadable.
But he could see she was struggling to find words, and so he waited patiently, even though he wasn't sure he wanted to hear them.
"You're the only person I've ever loved that makes me understand shutting down from the whole world for years because you couldn't be with them."
Bruce sighed, "Selina... that's not... you don't get it...", he began talking.
"No, Bruce, I do get it," she cupped his cheek, "what I'm saying is you should keep it. If I'd ever also felt that way about anyone else, I wouldn't have wanted you to stripe it away from me."
"Selina," he stroked her face delicately, "my love for you is so much bigger than anything else I've ever felt. And our love is much more real than mine and hers ever was... I loved Rachel once, I did. I still do. Which is why I know this is where she should be. I will never forget her or scrape her out of my life. But this is where she belongs, in the room that represents my old life."
Selina smiled faintly and let her hand down, grabbing the photo frame and setting it straight again. Bruce smiled too.
"Are you sure you don't wanna take this with you?"
He ignored it, "Come on, let me show you something."
He grabbed her hand and took her to the piano, where he pressed a few keys before a shelf slid to the side, opening way to an elevator. Selina looked at him astonished, unsure what she was about to witness. They came in and there was only one button, and they started going down as soon as he pressed it.
The doors opened shortly after, revealing a giant space, with cool air and strong sounds of water. The place was dark, but it had natural light coming through from a large and heavy curtain of water. The ground and the walls were mostly made of dark rocks and concrete, but there were metallic walkways taking them to different parts of the cave.
"Is this..."
"Yeah. The Batcave."
Selina crossed her arms and walked around, gazing and taking everything in.
"Amazing," she murmured.
He showed her around, demonstrating his equipment and letting her scope around and check his control panel, the computers and security devices. She acted like a kid on Christmas morning.
"Can you imagine if you had used all this firepower for evil? We'd all be screwed."
"Yeah... but maybe we would've met sooner," he joked.
"Yeah, we'd have probably stumbled across each other earlier in life," she laughed. "God, can you imagine the power couple we'd be? Me, pulling the greatest and biggest heists while you... well, I don't know what your thing would be... scaring children into eating vegetables? Maybe terrorizing the elderly? Or something meaner, like beating up privileged private school playboys?", she teased him pretending to be daydreaming about it all.
"Ha-ha. Maybe I'd be more into capturing and abducting the neighborhood cat."
"Oh, I think you'd find she was very aloof and not that easy to catch," Selina wrapped her arms around his waist, "but maybe a purr-ty face like yourself she'd let scratch her belly and take her home."
"Oh, yeah?", he smiled and held her back.
"Yeah. Then she'd be rubbing her paws with glee that you'd fall so eagerly into her trap."
"Well, that's one trap I wouldn't mind being caught on."
Bruce muffled her giggling with his lips, kissing her urgently but slowly, stealing the air from her mouth and leaving her panting. She pulled his face closer to her, ignoring her own breathlessness. They could ignite fires inside each other as quickly as lighting a match, but much stronger and lasting.
He paused it so Selina could catch her breath and not burn herself out, and they rested their foreheads together. Her lusty fiery almond eyes found his and his stomach dropped. Every time she looked at him like that he felt like falling in love again for the very first time.
The words were about to pour out his lips, unstoppable and uncontainable. But something stronger pulled him back, as if it was physically sucking the air out of his lungs so he couldn't speak.
She backed off a bit, eyeing him curiously.
"What is it? Are you having a stroke?", she asked amused.
"Uh, no... we just... shouldn't keep Alfred waiting too long. We still have a plane to catch."
"Okay...", she compromised, though a bit confused.
They went up back to the Manor and met up with Alfred on the front stairs, where he and Thompkins discussed some kids.
"Alfred...", Bruce called out, "Miss Thompkins, you're really doing an amazing work here. My parents would've been thrilled to see this. Please, if you're ever in need of anything..."
"Oh, you're so kind, Mr. Wayne. Your help with the fundraiser will be very much appreciated. Money is tight here, but we manage."
"Yes," Alfred agreed, "unfortunately, children don't just need money. They need families."
"Well, if anyone knows that, it's me," Bruce said and tapped Alfred on his back, " fortunately , I had you."
They both smiled and Selina and Thompkins shared a look, which got interrupted by the sound of little Damian running to them. He was short of breath from playing snowball dodgeball with the other kids.
"Are you guys leaving?", he asked.
"We are, kiddo," Bruce replied.
"Are you ever coming back?"
"I sure hope so," Selina answered.
"Absolutely," Bruce replied at the same time as her.
The four adults stared down at him, waiting for him to speak out like he clearly wanted, but all the attention suddenly left him nervous; he gulped and rapidly hugged Bruce and then Selina, running away from them right after, avoiding their looks and surprised expressions.
The coordinator seemed a bit in shock, "Well, I guess that's... progress, for him. When he first got here he wouldn't even speak to anyone else beside his brother."
"Where is his brother?", Selina asked interested.
"Ah, you know how it is. He was younger, so he was adopted faster. It's a shame the state allows separating siblings like that."
The atmosphere took on a heavier weight around them as Selina stared at little Damian playing in the snow by himself. Bruce tried to alleviate the air, but his own tension made the words betray him, refusing to come out of his mouth. Alfred then cleared his throat and was the first to speak.
"Leslie, as usual, this was a pleasure. We'll be in touch, and please feel free to contact me if you ever need anything."
"Thank you, Alfred," she smiled, "and you two, come back to visit us whenever you'd like, you're always welcome, of course."
The drive back to town was also quiet, and Bruce felt like he needed to give Selina some time and space, as she was unusually silent as she looked out the window. She couldn't take her mind off the lonely little boy, and how his eyes reminded her of Bruce's, specially as they appeared scared and brave at the same.
"So, you two are on a first name basis, then?", Bruce teased Alfred.
"She's a friend, that's what you're supposed to call friends."
"I've known you my whole life and never once you've called me Bruce."
"I most definitely have, Master Bruce."
Bruce puffed and noticed that had made Selina smile a bit.
They made it back home just in time for a little afternoon snack - Alfred's infamous cucumber sandwiches -, and to prepare their bags and belongings for the trip.
On the way to airport, Bruce was going through names and instructions with Alfred to organize the fundraiser for the orphanage. Selina appeared to have forgotten or let go of the evening events and was gleefully arranging her guns and knives in X-ray proof bags inside her handbag in the car. It was midnight and the private jet already waited for them by the airstrips.
They said their goodbyes and made promises to call and visit each other. Selina hugged Alfred for a little longer than usual for her and thanked him for everything. He gladly embraced her back and affirmed that it was a pleasure and he'd always look after the both of them.
Selina had been exhausted from their long day. She tucked herself in under a heavy blanket on the giant leather seat and reclined it, then accepted a single glass of wine the stewardess offered her. Bruce sat in front of her and looked concentrated on whatever on his phone.
The wine made its way into her bloodstream and soon enough her eyelids were as heavy as they could. She blinked drowsily, and just as she was about to give into it, she felt something touch her lips. She opened her eyes to him, looking down at her with his finger on her mouth tracing it.
She was about to ask him what that was about, but suddenly her mouth was invaded by his thumb and, even surprised as she was, she found it extremely erotic. Her lips automatically closed around it and she sucked on it, watching Bruce from under her eyes react to her.
He rested his knee on her seat and kissed her neck ardently, forcing involuntary moans out of her and making her bite his finger softly in exhilaration. Then he kneeled in front of her, smiled, and stroked her face removing his finger from her mouth.
His hands reached her ankles from under the blanket, moving slowly up her legs as her breathing accelerated. She looked at him expectantly and in a daze, still confused about what had suddenly motivated him to start that. The aircrew was nowhere to be seen, probably in their cabin.
His warm big hands caused shivers under her pantyhose, and even more so as he began caressing her inner thighs. His eyes were a shade darker and penetrating, never leaving hers. His fingers reached her stomach under her dress and the bottom of the thin tights, which he pulled slightly down, giving it just enough space to slip through. He pressed her pulsating spot from over her panties first before diving inside them, and Selina breathed anxiously from her mouth.
She was aching and burning for him, needing him to touch her rougher, faster, to fill her completely, and not just torture her with his teasing fingers. She groaned, edgy and frustrated, and he smirked at her as if he understood what she wanted.
Bruce lifted the blanket up and slid down under it as she eyed him in shock, but desperate to feel him on her. He spread kisses over her legs, tormenting her in the most delicious ways. His fingers left her hot spot to slide down her panties and she closed her eyes in expectation, biting her lip. He pressed one single short and gentle kiss to her exposed clit, but it was enough to set her insides on fire.
"Selina," he whispered.
She clenched her lower lip tighter with her teeth to stop herself from moaning from hearing her name falling off his lips like that. He kissed her one more time and she sighed.
"Selina," he said again, more urgently this time.
Then strong hands cupped her shoulders and she was shaken up delicately, opening her eyes at a loss of what was going on. Bruce was standing in front of her, a worried look on his face.
"Are you okay? Were you having a nightmare?"
She realized she was still biting her lip and she had to unclench her jaw and clear her throat to speak.
"No," she muttered confused.
"No?"
"I mean yes... it's fine, though," she said as she felt her face starting to blush. She quickly covered it pretending to be rubbing her eyes drowsily.
He tucked her hair behind her ears and stroked it gently, still seeming a bit concerned.
"We're almost there," he murmured, "just an hour or so."
"Alright," she said, her voice still a bit scratchy and uneasy, "can you get me some water, please?"
He went to the back of the plane and she took the opportunity to set her seat straight and try to regain some composure. She'd gone too long without Bruce and now her own body was punishing and betraying her.
The sun was rising outside the window and the plane was slowly losing altitude as she made plans for whey they finally got home.
Notes: Cassandra Cain is portrayed by Ella Jay Basco in the Birds of Prey movie.