Selina hadn't managed to stay awake. She had tried to sit up, Alfred quickly tended to her when she was unable, and she had fallen into a doze by the time Bruce made it back and changed out of his suit.

"I've been checking on her every hour," said Alfred as the two men climbed the stairs to the second floor, "and all at once she was awake."

"Al, you need some sleep," Bruce tried to joke but his voice was stern, "I don't expect you to be awake all night."

Alfred paused and Bruce knew exactly what he was thinking. They spent so much time in each other's company that sometimes a look was all that was needed. This one said I ask the same of you but you don't listen.

"She's important to you, Sir," he said finally, "so that means she's important to me."

Bruce softened, "Al."

"It took her a while to fully come round and realise where she was," Alfred continued, his voice dropping to a murmur as they neared the bedroom door. "She could barely speak, but she did manage one word, I think you can guess what that was."

"My name," Bruce whispered, his chest swelling, his eyes prickling.

They entered the room and there was Selina, still just as Bruce had left her. Alfred had been sure to pull the comforter and duvet right up to her neck, beneath those she wore nothing but the bandages pulled taught around her body.

"I'll prepare some tea," Alfred said briskly, and left the two of them alone. That was one of the many things Bruce loved about Alfred; he never imposed.

Bruce first went to the window closest to the bed and drew the curtains a little. He wanted just enough light so as not to startle Selina. Then he sat on the bed beside her carefully and placed a hand over her body. He wouldn't disturb her, if she didn't wake again he would go down to the Batcave and listen in on police communications as he often did. Or perhaps he would go back to the guest room he had set up for himself and try to sleep. The digital clock on the bedside table said it was 2.30am.

But then Selina stirred, a small sound escaped her parted lips, and one eye fluttered open. Bruce remained still as he watched her become aware of her surroundings again, watched as the pain struck across her face only a few seconds after. Her other eye was still three sizes too big, discoloured and sore and swollen shut.

She quickly sucked in air through her teeth, wincing, her hands trying to find her chest. Then she turned her head just a little and saw Bruce and her face softened.

"Selina," he murmured. He daren't touch her face for fear of causing her more pain.

"Br…uce…" Selina's voice was barely a whisper, hoarse and raw. She managed to raise an eyebrow, a little surprised at how her own voice sounded.

"Don't strain yourself," Bruce said at once, "one of the stab wounds punctured your lung. Another through the intercostal muscles. One missed your kidney by half an inch."

Selina looked at him, exhausted. Somehow knowing the extent of your injuries made them more painful, if that were possible, and Bruce could see that now on her face. Alfred had wisely stopped telling him the details of his own injuries long ago.

She lay still for a few minutes, looking at him, trying to remember exactly what had happened. Bruce watched, and when the realisation suddenly spread across her face her opened eye began to glisten with tears. She tried to speak but all that she managed was a small croak.

"It's okay," Bruce said reassuringly. This time he did move his hand up to her face and gently caressed her cheek with his thumb, "we'll talk about it tomorrow. Right now you need to rest."

Selina lifted her head from the pillow and opened her mouth ready to protest, but one concerned scowl from Bruce and her head fell back, defeated and exhausted. She couldn't speak any more even if she tried, her breath scraped in and out of her throat and Bruce winced at every inhale.

So she looked at Bruce for what seemed like a long time and he looked back, stroking her cheek rhythmically. Then her eyes drifted from his face to something behind him.

'Stars' she mouthed. Bruce had seen them tonight, he already knew how clear and beautiful the sky was even with the trail of factory smoke drifting from Gotham's industrial estate, but he turned to look anyway.

"Beautiful," he murmured, turning back to face Selina. Her opened eye was sparkling. "Like diamonds."

Her lips pressed into a small smile and Bruce felt a little flourish of warmth. Then she closed her eye and gave a shallow sigh.

"You need to rest," Bruce repeated, this time more speaking to himself. His hand left Selina's face and, as he stood up, Selina's eye opened again. "I'll bring you an alarm you can press if you need me or Alfred in the night."

He turned to leave and had only taken a few steps when he heard a thump. He instinctively swung back round to find Selina had lifted her head to look at him, one arm now above the bedcovers. She had thrown one of the heavy pillows to the floor.

She whispered something Bruce couldn't hear, but he could tell by the look on her face what she had meant.

"You want me to stay here with you?" He asked tentatively.

She gave a small nod and then her head fell back. For as long as he had known her, Bruce never quite knew when to tell whether Selina wanted to be alone or not. Sometimes he'd felt their bond growing closer only for her to push him away and disappear for several months. Other times he'd be chasing her across the rooftops, a stolen item in her arms, and she'd stop dead in her tracks and kiss him instead.

That was why, even though he longed to stay with her, he had headed for the door. He could understand why sometimes she had accused him of being indifferent or not caring, after all, he had never told her that she near constantly plagued his thoughts.

But he had to respect her need for solitude, her fierce independence created from a life of fending for herself for as long as she could remember. He worried that to show care for her may insult this and destroy what precious moments they had together. Not to mention the additional danger he placed her in to be an associate of Batman.

That's why I walk away, he thought sadly, it's not that I don't love you. Now to craft those words into existence and tell her. Bruce's lips opened and hovered for a moment. Then they gently closed. She didn't need any additional stress right now, of any sort, and to begin talking about his own feelings while she lay there in pain was inconsiderate. He would tell her another time.

Instead, he moved silently to her beside, where she could now see him, her tiny face mellowed in anticipation. He pulled his shirt over his head and threw it over a nearby plush chair, then began unbuckling his belt. Selina watched unashamedly as he stripped to his black shorts.

"I'm going to need to move you," he said tentatively, "just a little bit."

"It's okay…I'll do it," she assured him, her voice a little stronger now. She slowly pulled herself onto her elbows and Bruce watched painfully as she pushed herself further into the bed, her brow furrowing and her bottom lip poking out in an effort to conceal her pain. Her arms collapsed, exhausted by the small movement, and she rolled gingerly onto her right side, the one that was slightly better.

Bruce lifted the duvet and slid into the bed next to her. As their skin touched, he felt her body soften and she even sighed. She lifted her head from the pillow ever so slightly and he followed suit by sliding his arm beneath it. Careful to avoid her bandaged ribs, he instead wound an arm into the dip of her waist and rested his hand on her hip bone. She found it, wound her fingers through his and moved her head back so that the skin of her neck touched his lips. He kissed it obediently. Selina purred.

She didn't smell like blood anymore, she was back to her natural scent and it was intoxicating. Bruce allowed the memories to flicker through his mind of their touches, their kisses. Hot summer nights in Gotham, sprawled out on his cape on a high-rise rooftop at 2am. Counting all those diamonds.

"B…ats?" Selina slurred.

"Cat?"

"I…messed up," she croaked, her body tensing. Bruce instinctively, though mindful of his strength, pulled her body closer into the crook of his and curled his arm further round her body, as if he could shield her away from her own guilt.

"We do. I do. It happens. All that matters is that you're alright."

She sighed as if she wanted to say more but Bruce could tell she was slowly drifting into sleep. Her fingers had loosened in his and her breathing had deepened. He planted another gentle kiss beneath her ear. He closed his eyes and inhaled her scent and felt he may soon succumb to sleep himself.

"Bats?" she said again and this time her voice actually startled Bruce. How she still had the energy to be awake, he didn't know.

"Cat?"

"Diamonds…are forever…right?" her voice was heavy was sleep now, she was fighting it for some reason.

"Right," he chuckled.

"Can this…be forever?" she whispered.

"Forever," he agreed.