CHAPTER 2

I had caught the bat. It was easier than I thought but it didn't bring the satisfaction that I hoped it would. Stealing the jewels took less than five minutes and Batman hadn't wasted anytime in showing up. I had never really seen him before until tonight and I was a little shocked. I didn't expect him to be so muscular yet agile. The element of surprise had worked to my advantage but I didn't think I could have won if we had fought. After gassing him I brought him back to an empty warehouse before I had to deliver him to Richmond. He and his cronies would be here at dawn but until then it was just me and Batboy. I entered the room where I was holding him in a glass gas capsule. He was slumped over and his shoulders were hunched in defeat. He stirred slowly so I knew that the last gassing I had gave him was wearing off. Groggily he lifted his head and met my eyes. I walked over to the capsule, opened the small glass door and entered. It was a good thing I had decided against removing his costume because it offered some kind of protection against the harsh gas but it didn't stop it from putting him out for a several minutes at a time.

"How are you my little bat?" I said running my fingers up his arm. His eyes narrowed beneath the cowl.

"I've seen better days… I sort of wished one of them would not include some psycho chick who thinks she's Catwoman."

I dug a fingernail into his arm and he yelped. "Watch what you say." I pulled it out and walked around the glass prison. "I'm the one thing protecting you from them, so I'd be a nice Batman."

His expression changed from anger to puzzlement. "You keep talking about 'them'. Who is 'them'?"

I debated whether or not to tell him but I figured it would be okay since he ostensibly would be dead in a couple of hours. "Them…I don't even really know. I've only seen one of them in the light, Richmond, is what they call him. I don't even think he's anyone special, just their messenger. I have no idea what they want with you, although I suspect its to kill you…or me for that matter."

"So why in the world are you working for them? Unless you enjoy crime." He said dryly.

"No, I hate it but I have no choice. If I don't he will die. I'd rather die myself then see him hurt and I know they would kill him. They would."

He sat quietly for a few moments. Obviously going over what he just heard in his head. "Look, Catwoman…or whoever you are…If you let me go I might be able to help you. It seems like we are both in the same situation. The only difference is they hold me by physical bondage but they hold you by emotional bondage. I don't know who 'he' is and neither of us know who 'they' are and what the dregs want but we can help each other."

"How do I know that if I release you, you won't leave me to the mercy of them."

"Because I'm Batman and the good guy deal is my thing." He said with a half smile.

" 'He' happens to be my father. What will happen to him once they know we're gone?"

"In reality, I don't know but I do know that we'll have to move quickly."

I leaned against the side of the capsule. The clock that was high on the far wall blazed 4:45. I had fifteen minutes till dawn. It was now or never. Something inside me told me to trust him but I still held doubt. It felt selfish to leave my father when he needed me most but I also knew that both of us imprisoned would not get us anywhere. Sighing I looked at Batman.

"Fine. If we're leaving we better go now."

He shot up from his seat and ran towards the glass door only to be blinded momentarily by an electrical shock.

"Uhhh…do you mind turning this thing off." He said testily. "I'm trying to save your life and it would be nice to have a brain to think with."

With a click of the remote that I kept inside the pocket of my suit the electrical collar fell to the floor at his feet.

"Sorry." I apologized sheepishly.

"It's okay. Let's just get out of here. You know the way out?"

"Do cat's always land on their feet." I replied sarcastically as I ran towards the entrance of the warehouse. He followed close behind until I heard sounds coming from the side of the building.

"Hold on a second.….shhhh." He heard it too and we inched to the other side behind a large bush.

"The girl is in there with the Bat. We have a few more moments before we can get him and kill her. Good thing we took care of her old man before we came since we don't have much time." A deep, growling voice said. I gasped in surprise. Tears welled up but I effectively pushed them back. I couldn't grieve now. I had to save my own life as well as the man who had just saved mine. Muffled voices followed and Batman gave me a quick squeeze on the arm, our cue to move forward. I followed him through the darkness but every step gave way to the reality that I had failed. Everything I had done up to this point was their way of using me to get what they wanted and then disposing of me as if my life were a scrap of garbage. My heart was wrenching inside and it took every ounce of strength that I had in me not to stop and weep right then and there. Instead, I focused my teary eyes on the back of Batman's head and continued. We got to the edge of a street, far enough away from the warehouse so we wouldn't be noticed.

"I brought you this far, can you handle it from here?" He said turning around to face me. I avoided my eyes so he wouldn't see that they were wet. Then it struck me, I had no place to go. The apartment, food, clothes, my life was furnished to me by Richmond and his gang. They had complete and utter control over me and if I went back they would kill me.

"No! I have no where else to go." I sat on the curb and this time I couldn't fend back the tears. "They own me. Where I live, what I eat, what I wear…it's all provided by them. Even my identity. I..c-c-can't go b-back now…" I started to sob uncontrollably while my head stayed buried in my knees. I didn't look up but I heard Batman walk a few feet away but I couldn't have cared if he left me here. I wanted to curl up and die. I had lost everything, my father, my means of living, everything. So I didn't see a good enough reason to go on.

Catwoman sat on the curb in front of me, crying and sobbing as if her whole heart had fallen to pieces. I recognized the cry. It was the same one I had experienced when my father had died and I also knew what would follow it. Numbness. Anger. Revenge. I had felt them all but I had had someone to help me through, she didn't. I couldn't leave her to be alone. It wouldn't be right.

"Terry! Terry!" Bruce's tense voice flooded into my cowl.

"I'm here."

"I've been trying to reach you for the past three hours." He was obviously angry and that was the last thing I needed.

"I guess the electrical device must have stopped the waves from coming through."

"What electrical device?! And where have you been?"

"I'll explain that later…we have a bigger situation right now." I moved my head so that Bruce could see the Catwoman sobbing on the sidewalk.

"Who is that…she looks like…it couldn't be…"Disbelief was evident in the strained way he spoke the words.

"Catwoman. I figured you'd be interested but right now she's not the cat, she's a very scared girl who needs help."

"What kind of help." I could almost see the small sneer cross his lips.

"Her father has just been murdered by the gang that's been holding him hostage in order for her to commit crimes for them. They said she was to deliver me to them and her father would be released eventually but instead they planned to kill me and her. She has no place to go. They provided her with clothing, shelter, everything."

"So what do you propose we do." Bruce cut in.

"We can't just leave her here. It goes against the code. I say I bring her to you and she can stay at Wayne Mansion for a couple of days until things blow over and we can take her someplace safer."

"No."

"Why not it makes perfect sense."

"She's a criminal, Terry."

"In circumstances beyond her control." I was getting exsasperated with him. "It won't be forever. Just until I can figure out what to do with her."

"Are you forgetting that by bringing her here you are practically disclosing you're identity and mine."

"You can call your limo to pick her up. I'm sure you don't have any hot dates for tonight. I'll tell her that the famous, Bruce Wayne, was benevolent enough to take her in unbeknownst to myself."

He sighed loudly and I cheered inwardly because I recognized it as a sign of defeat.

"This had better not be a habit. I hope you know what you're doing, McGinnis."

That makes two of us, I thought to myself.

"I'll send the car. Make sure she gets in and that's it, then I want you out of there. Those guys will be searching for her and you and I don't think it's to play."

"Yes, sir."

He signed off and I made my way over to her as she was wiping the tears off of her mask.

"I called a contact and he said that you would be safe with a 'Mr. Bruce Wayne'. He'll send a limo to pick you up."

"The billionaire, Bruce Wayne?"

"The one and only. I hear he's an okay guy…during the day."

The beep of the remote control sounded as I called the Batmobile. Preparing to step in, I was stopped by a voice behind me.

"I..uhh..just wanted to say thank you. For everything." She said sincerely.

"Sure. No problem. See you around, Catwoman."

She smiled beneath the mask and then her lips set themselves in a straight line.

"I'm no longer Catwoman. I'm free but I still don't know who I am now."

"I hope you find out." In an instant she had leaned over and kissed me on the cheek softly. I nodded in her direction and then rode away in the batmobile as fast as possible.

Wayne Mansion loomed dark and foreboding in front of me but I knew whatever fate befell me inside those walls could not be any worse than working for Richmond. Large cast iron gates covered in vines and ivy opened and the limo snaked its way up the driveway. The driver got out and silently led me to the door. I didn't remove my cowl but followed shortly behind him until we entered a large living room. A fire blazed in the large fireplace and a single high back chair was seated in front of it. My eyes lingered on the pale, wrinkled hand that rested on a cane beside the chair. The hand my have been old but the power that it possessed was evident.

"Come in." A voice from behind the chair said. I hesitantly entered the room and went to stand beside it. An old man sat in it but he wasn't hunched over or withered. He still looked strong and impressively commanding. It was obvious that in his younger days he had been handsome but I could sense that that was only a shadow of what he was.

"Remove you're mask please." The deep voice prompted me to action and this time there was no hesitation. The expression on his face flickered from keen disinterest to being startled.

"Those eyes…" He whispered and then seeing me staring in wonder he regained his composure.

"Sit down." I gingerly perched on the edge of an old chair like his own but less large and imposing.

"Who is your mother?" The question took me by surprise and it took a while for me to answer. It seemed odd that that was the first question he would ask me. The subject of my mother had always been a difficult one and it felt strange to be talking about something so close to my heart with a stranger.

" Victoria Fallon. I never knew her. She died when right after I was born. Besides pictures I have never seen her. My father…" I cleared my throat and struggled to continue as the tears welled in my eyes again. "He didn't like to talk about her and now I'll never know."

"He didn't tell you anything."

"Well, he did tell me that she lived in Gotham and that her past was better left uncovered, not even he knew all the details. One year I got curious and decided to do some research on my own. All I found out was that Victoria Fallon was probably not her real name and that all files connected to her are locked away." He looked at me from across the room and lifted his body out of the chair.

"Come with me."

It felt like all I had been doing the whole night was following people but I went. He led to a study filled with filing cabinets and drawers. I stayed at the door while he rummaged through old files, pulling out drawer after drawer, each filled to the brim with papers. Finally he stopped and walked towards me with an old, battered folder in his hand.

"Is this her?"

I sucked my breath in and took the folder from him. Opening it I found a picture of an extremely beautiful laughing women with dark brown hair and eyes that looked exactly like my own. The next picture was of the same woman dressed in an outfit similar to the one I wore now.

"Mom…but…she couldn't be."

"I didn't believe it either. Her name was Sarah Morgan…otherwise known as Catwoman."

"But…" I pieced together the puzzle in my head and it made perfect sense the more I thought. "She changed her name to hide her past."

Mr. Wayne had started taken the folder back and was staring at it too.

"I guess she wanted to finally settle down. Do you mind me asking how she died?"

"Uhh…It was a blood clot…in her brain. My dad said the doctors couldn't do anything for her."

A flicker of sadness crossed his wrinkled face but it was replaced by an amount of compassion. "Hmmm…I'm sorry about your father."

"He was a good man and he loved my mother. He loved me." I was silent for a moment, basking in memories of the past but Mr. Wayne had already moved on.

"You should get some rest. I think you've had enough excitement for one night."

"Thanks, Mr. Wayne."

"Bruce and the maid will show you to your room." I thanked him again and while he looked at me there was something in his expression that denoted almost a tenderness. He had the look of someone who had just receded into the world of memories. I left quietly so I wouldn't disturb whatever was taking place behind those eyes.

I opened my eyes and squinted as sunlight came pouring unmercifully into the room. Sitting up quickly in bed, I struggled to remember how and why I was here. The nights events flooded back into my mind and the gravity of it all weighed down on me like a thousand pound weight. My father was dead, I was in some strange man's house, my mother was Catwoman and my life was in danger every second that I lived. I began to weep again, uncontrollably. Every sob came as a plea for someone to help but no one came. I buried my head in my pillow until it was soaked through from the salty tears. When the storm of emotion finally passed over, my whole heart felt cold and unfeeling. There was no more pain, hurt, fear, I didn't feel anything and I was enjoying it every second. I yanked the bed covers from around my body and pulled up the borrowed night gown, that was two sizes too big, as I jumped from bed so it wouldn't drag on the wooden floors. A fresh pair of jeans, a t- shirt, socks and sneakers had been mysteriously draped over an old chair in the corner of the room. Shrugging, I pulled on them on and cautiously opened the large wooden door that separated the room I was in from the long expanse of hallway. First I peeked out and then when the coast was clear I left the room, shutting the door behind me. I didn't exactly know why I was being so cautious but I was used to being on my guard. I tiptoed down the curving steps, careful to skip the ones that looked like they would creep. The study was right in front of me and I didn't see anyone in it so I walked normally when I came to it.

"Could you come in here for a minute please?" The voice of Mr. Wayne rumbled through the silent house and I could swear that I saw a plant tremble at the sound. I took a deep breath and entered. He sat at a large desk with his dog, Ace at his side, whom I had met last night when I had found my room. He had bounded up the stairs but didn't bark, he just stared and I decided that I didn't want to wait to see what happened next so I closed the door. Now Ace sat obediently at his master's side next to the cane I had begun so used to already.

"I don't believe I caught your name." He said while his eyes focused their attention only on me. Sitting on the edge of a wooden chair, I willed myself to answer him although I was feeling extremely intimidated. I laughed inwardly, I had never been afraid of an old man…until now.

"Kat. Kathryn Williams."

"Well Kat, It has come to my attention that you will be staying with me for the next few days until you are properly placed."

Probably in a jail cell, I thought to myself.

"I want you to know that you have a safe haven here but also that I won't tolerate criminal acts of any kind. You will attend dinner at six o'clock in the main dinning room, other than that you can eat whenever you want. You are also not to go near the west thing of the house under any circumstances. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir." I bristled at his bluntness but I was not offended. It was his house and technically I was wanted by the law.

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"Excellent, you will attend Hamilton High School-…"

"I can't go back there! I've already been going for two weeks," I interrupted harshly. "That would be the first place they would look for me."

He sat back and thought for a moment and absently rubbed the top of his cane. "Good point. Then you will stay here and you can complete all your classes via the web."

"Yes, sir." I said again. Mr. Wayne closed his eyes as if he were searching for something that he had missed. Then they fluttered open and his face resumed its stern purposeful look.

"Your clothing, " He eyed the too big t- shirt, jeans and sneakers. "Since you are a minor and at this time I am considered your guardian, I cannot have you not provided with the necessary items. I will give you credits and you will go to the place teens go to buy clothing and get some for yourself."

"But Mr. Wayne you've done enough already-…" I interrupted once again. I had no idea why he was being so generous. He held up his hand at my protests and his eyes turned narrow.

"I'm not doing this to be a nice man, it's completely necessary. You have not heard the rest of the deal so don't thank me yet," He rose to his full bodied height. "From this time forward you are confined to the house unless with a guardian. We can't have you walking around Gotham while you are on the hit list of a major crime lord."

"Alright."

I could tell he was searching his mind once again to see if he had left anything out. Obviously he hadn't because he pulled out a crisp leather wallet and handed me the credits.

"If you need more ask. I believe that's all. I have an intern who comes to work with me after school. If you need anything I'm sure he can be of assistance if no one else is around, otherwise you are on your own."

"Thank you, Mr. Wayne." He nodded at me and I rose to leave the room.

"Kat."

I turned at the sound of his voice.

"So far I trust you, don't give me a reason not too."

This time I nodded and left. Mr. Wayne was a hard man to figure out but for some reason I was ready to try. As I left I heard a barely audible mumble that Mr. Wayne gave to Ace.

"Why do I feel as if I've just let a women into my life…again"

I smiled and kept walking. He had let me into his home but it was my chance to show him that I could be trusted. Maybe then I could stay here and I wouldn't be arrested. This house was safe, no secrets, no problems. I could definitely get used to the security that having a home brought.