"Mommy swee!" Arsenio called out to Adriana who was sitting on a chair on the poolside.

Bruce and Arsenio were in their newly constructed indoor pool and she was watching them with a smile. Adriana, Bruce and Arsenio had recently relocated to Wayne Manor. Being away from the city was putting them all at ease.

"Swee!" Arsenio said and waved one arm as Bruce held him.

"Two more days, baby," Adriana said to her son, knowing he wanted her join them.

Adriana watched them in the pool for nearly an hour until Bruce could see that Arsenio was getting tired. And even though he was getting tired he still wanted to play.

"We'll just take a break, little man," Bruce said while walking up the pool stairs with Arsenio in his arms.

"I wa steestap!" Arsenio said to Bruce who was a pro at understanding his speech.

"Okay, for a second," Bruce said once he got to the top step.

Bruce placed Arsenio on his feet on the top step beside himself. Arsenio stood happily, holding on to one of Bruce's hands and began to bounce while standing. He reached down and slapped at the water with one of his hands.

"Having fun?" Bruce asked as Arsenio yawned for the third time.

After a warm bath and cuddling with his parents, Arsenio went down for a long nap. Afterwards Adriana went into the enormous kitchen of Wayne Manor and washed a large bowl of raw green beans and sat at the table to begin cutting them.

"You know, you don't have to do that," Bruce said, watching her.

Since she couldn't bend her neck, she held the beans up one by one as she pulled the string out of the center of each one after cutting them.

"I know," she said. "But I need something to do, and I like to prep the food."

"I'll assist you then," Bruce said and grabbed another pair of kitchen shears before sitting across from her. "I'll cut, you take the strings."

"Okay," Adriana said, knowing that he wanted to talk.

After a few minutes of silence, Adriana spoke first.

"Maybe cut them closer to the end," Adriana said and looked at the thick chunks he was cutting off. "So there will be less waste."

"Gotcha," Bruce said and looked at the beans, seeing what she meant.

The finished the task in silence and then Bruce cleaned up everything when they were done.

"Are you going to go back to the office?" Adriana asked Bruce, who had been working from home for a few hours a day. He hadn't returned to Wayne Enterprises since her abduction.

"No," he said. "Tomorrow."

"Okay," Adriana said and smiled.

Bruce smiled back but could not help thinking of what he had told her a couple of days ago. She was acting like everything was completely normal and she seemed entirely unbothered by the fact that he had an affair. She hadn't brought it up again once. He kept replaying in his mind her reaction when she was told.

He was excellent at reading people and noticing micro expressions. And from what he could remember there was no expression. Not even the faintest flicker in her eye when he told her. She didn't blink. Nothing.

"We could peel the potatoes next," Adriana suggested.

"The chef will come in later and find his work done for him," Bruce said and Adriana smiled.

"I'll get the vegetable peelers," she said and started to stand but Bruce took her hand to stop her.

"Adriana," he said.

"Yes?" she replied.

"I want to talk," Bruce said expecting her to look like she was concerned, dreading it, or at least less than enthusiastic. Nothing of the sort showed on her face.

"What is it, sweetheart?" she asked.

"I want to talk about what happened," he said. "My.. indiscretion."

"Oh...Bruce," she said. "We don't have to talk about that."

Bruce had tried to bring it up over the last couple of each days, but each time she replied the same way and he let it go.

"We do," he said.

"Okay.." she said. "What about it?"

"I'm concerned with the fact that," Bruce began. "You don't seem to care about what I've done."

"I do care," she said.

"I'm not getting that," Bruce said and looked at her intently. "Not even slightly."

Adriana looked down, unable to tilt her head down.

"If you don't care about what I've done you can just tell me," he said, trying to conceal the bitterness in his voice.

"I told you, I do care," she said softly.

"Do you?" he asked like he didn't believe her. "Do you really?"

"Of course," she said. "I don't understand what you're expecting from me-"

"You're my wife, Adriana," Bruce said. "I've done something terrible that I regret. Something I will regret for the rest of my life. I feel ashamed every second of every day. And you...you didn't seem bothered at all when I had to tell you."

"Bruce..." she said. "It happens."

Bruce raised his eyebrows and felt his lips part.

"So you're saying you knew this was going to happen?" Bruce said. "That you were expecting me to cheat on you?"

"No..no," she said. "I didn't know..I wasn't expecting it I just..."

"What?" Bruce asked.

"I always knew it was a possibility," she said. "It happens."

"You're very nonchalant about it," he noticed. "What does this mean? If it happened again you wouldn't mind at all?"

Adriana looked down again.

"Have you done the same?" Bruce asked. "Have you been with anyone else while we've been married?"

"No!" Adriana exclaimed and Bruce finally saw some emotion come from her. He knew that she was faithful, but he needed to see some reaction.

"Well what should I think if you're so relaxed about cheating just happening?" he asked.

"I wouldn't cheat on you, Bruce," Adriana said. "Because I love you."

"By that reasoning, you think I don't love you," he said.

"I know you love me."

"What if I told you I wanted to see other women," Bruce proposed. "An open marriage?"

Adriana looked at him cautiously, not able to tell if he was serious or if the question was hypothetical. He was not serious in the least, he just was trying to get through to her. It was as though she had a wall around her that would not be moved.

"I.." she started to say. "I would have to think about it..I guess."

"No!" Bruce said, seeing her answer as wrong. "There is nothing to think about!"

"Why ask me that if you don't mean it?" she asked, growing confused.

Bruce leaned forward and held onto her by both of her upper arms.

"This is hurting me, Adriana," Bruce said. "We've been together, we're married...and all this time, you never trusted me."

"I trust you, Bruce.." she said.

"You didn't trust me to be faithful or loyal," he said.

She said nothing and he realized the answer was yes.

"Bruce...this isn't my first relationship, you know that," Adriana said. "I've been here and done this already..."

"So..that's it..." Bruce said. "You just expect to be cheated on?"

"Like I said I don't expect it but..I always know there's a possibility-" she said.

"Okay," Bruce said and leaned back.

She could see that he was upset but didn't know how to console him.

"If it..makes you feel any better," she said. "I have forgiven you and I'm glad you were honest with me."

"That truly does not make me feel any better," he said.

"Well..what do you want then-" she asked.

"I need you to feel something! To show some emotion!" Bruce said, his voice barely raised but his words intense and firm. "To show me you give a damn about me and who I'm with and where I go and what I do! We're married, Adriana! It's as though you've completely shut down! You were more emotional when I told you about the damned potions!"

"What do you want, Bruce?" she asked, her voice raised louder than his.

For a split second he could see it. She was hurt. It pained him so much to see that he almost regretting trying to pull the emotion out of her.

"You want me to cry? You want me to be in pain because you gave yourself to another woman?" she asked, her voice beginning to shake. "I can't...I can't do that anymore! I've cried over that sort of thing enough in my life and I have no more tears to give for it. You want me to hurt...you want me to be despaired and miserable?"

Bruce didn't know what to say.

"So...this is what you do," Bruce said. "You build up this wall...this wall that's always been here and I just never knew."

Bruce looked at her and thought about their connection. It felt like they had been always been further away from each other than he had even realized. She had always seemed a bit guarded, and he assumed that it was because of her past traumas bestowed on her from the ability to see and hear the traumas of everyone else since childhood.

"It will never happen again, Adriana," Bruce said.

"Okay," she said and squeezed his hand.

He could tell in her voice that she didn't believe him but that she could tell that he believed himself. He believed in this moment the words that were coming out of his mouth but there was a sympathy in her voice that showed that she knew his words weren't true. He knew his words were true and all he could do was prove them.

"I love you," he said. "You have my love and my loyalty forever Adriana."

"I love you too," she replied and gave him a kiss.

.

.

.

"And turn to the left again," Dr. Kapoor said to Adriana after removing her neck brace. He was driving out to Wayne Manor almost daily to check on her.

"It barely hurts," she said, happy with her recovery.

"That's good," Bruce said, who was standing beside her.

"Yes it is," the doctor said. "There is no swelling and your range of motion is excellent. You've done well by wearing this brace for a few weeks. You've healed perfectly."

"Wow," Adriana said, feeling the air on her neck. "Never realized how great having a neck feels."

The doctor laughed. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Dr. Kapoor," she said.

"So, how is the Florinef working out?" the doctor asked about the prescription he had given her for her orthostatic intolerance.

"I think it's finally working," she said. "I haven't felt dizzy in a few days."

"And your heart rate and blood pressure are excellent while standing," he said. "It seems to be working perfectly."

"So..." Adriana said. "How long until I can return as Shade?"

"Oh..." the doctor said and looked at Bruce. "I think we should monitor your progress on the prescription for at least a few months-"

"Months?" she asked. "But..you said it was working."

"It is however I would feel more comfortable if we did a few stress tests, perhaps once a week to make sure the effect of the medication is reliable," he said. "We can start them next week."

"Okay then," Adriana sighed.

.

.

.

Adriana stood in front of the mirror and looked at herself in her nightgown. She could hear the shower going as Bruce bathed. She took a deep breath and looked at her neck for the first time in a long time.

She was finally able to turn her head. She turned her side toward the mirror and saw the bruising, still visible on her shoulder where she had been bitten. Her eyes shut as soon as she saw it. It felt like the was back there again, a hand pressing down on her neck, a knee in her back, teeth on her shoulder.

She took several breaths and calmed what she felt like was an impending panic attack. As she stood there breathing, Bruce got out of the shower. He saw her with her eyes shut and breathing with intention.

After throwing a towel around her hips he went over to her. She felt his fingertips on her arms and felt her shoulders relax.

"You're okay," he whispered, knowing what was happening. "I'm here."

She turned around to face him and placed the side of her cheek on his chest and let him hold her.

They went to bed and rested together in the dark, both awake and quiet. Adriana felt Bruce's hand massaging her back slowly.

"I need to go back.." she said. "To vigilantism...I have to keep this from happening to anyone else."

"I know," Bruce said and kissed her forehead. "You will be able to soon."

"I can't let it happen," she said, thinking of how many people and especially children she had saved from abduction.

"I was thinking," Bruce said. "About the man that rescued you."

"You were?" Adriana asked. She thought of the Joker every single day.

"He hasn't contacted me," Bruce said. "Jack Hayden. You know I told him if he needed anything I would be more than happy to help."

"Well.." Adriana said. "Maybe he doesn't need anything.."

"Everyone needs something," Bruce said. "He could have called and asked for a hundred grand a day since the incident and I would have given it to him. He deserves a reward. I feel that I owe him everything."

"Oh.." Adriana said.

"I've asked Lucius to find him and reach out to him," Bruce said and Adriana sat up.

"What?" she asked.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"No..no..." Adriana said. "I mean..why do you want to find him?"

"Well," Bruce said. "Since your parent and Harri are coming back for a day...I want us to have a little party. Very small, just to celebrate your healing and good health."

"And you...want him to come?" Adriana asked.

"And just a handful of other people," Bruce said. "I need to thank him properly."

"Is that really necessary?" Adriana asked, feeling nervous. The more Bruce was around him, the more likely he was to realize who Jack was.

"I'd say so," Bruce replied. "If you don't want us to have the party or to invite anyone, we don't need to. But I'd still like to see him again and give him something for what he did."

"Okay.." Adriana said, knowing that Bruce meeting Jack alone was more risky than at a party with more distractions. "Party...could be nice.."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yeah.." she said and laid back down and turned away from Bruce before sliding back against him

He wrapped his arms around his and kissed her on the shoulder before reaching forward to turn off the lamp. After the room was dark, Adriana felt Bruce kiss her shoulder again.

It had been two weeks since they last had sex and they were both craving it. Adriana had stopped bleeding several days ago and felt physically fine. And even though she knew she had prepared herself mentally for infidelity, somehow it had still affected her. Things felt different now. She wanted intimacy but at the same time was still letting her guard back down.

She reached for Bruce's arm and held onto it and closed her eyes, letting him know that she wanted to sleep. He kissed the side of her face softly, understanding.

As soon as she closed her eyes she was taken off into a dream. A vivid memory.

.

"That's it," the Joker said to her. "You're done."

"What's this?" she asked as he handed her a few bricks of cash.

"Severance," he said. "You are fired."

"Fired?" she laughed.

"Yes, your dream come true," he said. "You're no longer welcome on site. Bad luck. Clumsy. Forgetful. Not punctual."

"Oh.." Adriana said and traced her thumb over the edge of the bills. She knew she would be coming back and continuing to sabotage him without him knowing.

"Yes," he said. "Glad that's settled."

The Joker exhaled loudly through his nose.

"Your services are no longer needed," he said.

"Fine," she said and sat the money down. "I thought you said you would never pay me," she said. "Remember? When you said I had to work for you, you said I wouldn't be paid..Mr. Man Of Your Word."

"Then throw the money away," he said carelessly.

"Okay then," she said and took the seal off of one of the bricks and threw a few of the bills high enough in the air so that they rained down over his head.

He frowned at her as she leaned back against her kitchen counter and threw more money up into the air.

"Come on," she said. "I'm paying."

"What?" he asked, confused.

"I want entertainment," she said and tossed more money.

"Ahh," he said. "And I'm the clown here to amuse you. I don't have any tricks you'd like to see."

"I don't want clown tricks," she said and unwrapped the next brick. "Plus, people don't throw bills at clowns. Everyone knows that."

The Joker took the bill that had landed on his shoulder and dropped it to the floor.

"Do something," she said, sounding impatient.

He looked at her like she was a strange and bothersome child and she rolled her eyes.

"What will you have me do?" he asked. "Oh, paper tosser?"

"Strip," she said with a laugh. "Duh."

He looked at her strangely and then took off his coat.

"Wooo!" she cheered as he reached for his tie.

As he took off his shirt she stopped him.

"Noooo.." she said,feeling goofy for no reason. "Why are you going so fast? Come on...slow and smooth..and seductive. You have to dance a little."

He rolled his eyes at her and stopped what he was doing.

"So we are both unfit for each other's requested tasks," he said, again referring to her horrible performance on his team.

"Fine," she said. "Don't dance. But go slower."

He planned to move with sarcasm to annoy her as she smiled at him, looking like she was about to laugh. He unbuttered his shirt as slowly as was humanly possible. But instead of annoyance, she looked at him with anticipation.

She gazed at his fingers as though they were something marvelous. When he reached the last button she threw more money. He took off the undershirt, feeling like he was doing nothing special at all but moving like a snail while doing a regular task.

When he reached for the buckle on this pants she began to fan herself with the bills.

"Best show ever," she laughed once he was fully nude.

"Right.." the Joker said, still not understanding what was so great about it. She looked elated.

She hopped off of the counter she was sitting on and lifted her shirt slowly to reveal her navel. He watched her move slowly and undress, preceding each movement of fabric was a long moment of teasing and mystery. He could see the beauty and excitement in her doing this type of thing, but the fact that she seemed to enjoy watching him do the same was a mystery. She was a beautiful specimen and he was not.

Soon she was wearing nothing but underwear.

"No tips?" she asked with a pout.

He picked up one the bills from the table, not sure he was comfortable throwing it at her. He held it out with his hand and she shook her head and lifted the string on her hip.

"In here," she said with a smile.

He slid the $100 bill down into the string of her underwear and she reached forward and put her fingers into his hair.

"Thanks," she said.

"I don't enjoy cash," he said and she could see he was finally playing along.

"I had a feeling," Adriana said. "Surely...there's a solution for this conundrum."

"Very likely," he said.

"So...do you accept other forms of payment?" she asked and turned around and bent down slowly to pick up some of the bills from the floor. "Surely we can work something out.."

.

Adriana suddenly sat up in the bed gasping for air after the dream continued for another hour. When she woke she saw Bruce was awake and watching her.

She was out of breath and held her chest.

Bruce looked at her smiling like he was holding in a laugh.

"Good dream?" he asked.

"Um..." she said and looked at him. "Yeah...I think so.."

"You were moaning," he said.

"Was I?" she asked nervously. "Did I..um...say anything?"

Bruce laughed with his mouth closed.

"Yes, you did," he said.

Adriana pulled the pillow to her face and pressed it in.

"Something like.." Bruce said plainly. "There...Right there..."

"Stop!" Adriana said but he didn't.

"Plenty of profanity," Bruce said and Adriana whined into the pillow. "You definitely have a mouth on you in your dreams. Although it sounded like you were praying at one point."

Adriana maintained her position with her face hidden from view.

"It's okay," Bruce said and rubbed her leg. "It's been a few weeks, we're both in heat."

"Mmm.." Adriana murmured into the pillowcase. "I'm embarrassed."

"Don't be," he said, maintaining his smile. "It was cute."

"Whatever," Adriana said and threw her pillow back behind her. "I'm going back to sleep."

Bruce laughed. "Sweet dreams, my love."