Batman Return of the Dark Nights

Written by: Panthera

Disclaimer: The characters within this story belong to DC Comics and Warner Brothers I have just borrowed them for a while. No harm is meant I will return them unharmed when I'm finished the only character contained within that is not DC is that of Zanah she is an original character created by me and my friend.  Now, on with the story.

Chapter Nineteen

Else Where …

Zanah Flipped open her phone. Answering it finally.

"Zanah enough games it's time to come home," said Daggett.

"I'm finished," she growled.

"You can never be free of me Zanah."

"I am free of you," she snapped.

"Sooner or later all my children come home."

"I'm not your child! You took us off the streets and turned us into killers." She roared.

"You already were killers I simply put a roof over you head and gave you direction."

"You put us in hell and now you'll pay," she growled before hanging up.

The Next Day…

Selina woke to the phone ringing a little after noon.

"Hello."

"Selina, did I wake you?" Questioned the familiar voice of Bruce Wayne.

"No, not at all," she said as she sat up now awake.

"I hate to bother you after the past couple of days…"

"But."

"Clay Face and Daggett are still on the loose and I could really use your help."

"Bruce you had it before you asked for it."

"Are you sure you're up to it?" He asked remembering the beating she'd taken.

"I'm fine Bruce," she assured him. "So what's the plan?"

"First we take the city back."

"Then?"

"We try to prove Daggett is involved in illegal activities."

"I have some things you might be interested in."

"What?"

"I'll bring it by later. It's mot much, but it's a start."

"What is it?"

"A gift… What are we going to do about Clay Face he's not exactly easy to find?"

"I don't know, who ever he is he's pretty mad at Daggett about something."

"Do you think that maybe there have been other incidents of his trying to sabotauge Daggett?"

" Maybe but if there have he's not letting on about it."

"Clay Face is probably a silent employee that messed up some how, and was supposed to be eliminated."

"His attacks remind me of how I was after Shrek pushed me."

"Then maybe you can reason with him."

"You couldn't reason with me."

"But I didn't know the circumstances. You do."

"I'll try."

"Selina what aren't you telling me?"

"Later Bruce."

"When?"

"Tonight. We need to talk."

"You're right come over for dinner we can talk tonight."

"Good I'll be there at 6:30."

"See you then."

"Later Bruce," she whispered before hanging up the phone. She then got up got dressed and considered the mistakes she had made in the last five years. Could she live with Bruce knowing how he felt about crime? She didn't know. The one thing she was certain of was she needed to tell him everything.

Else Where…

Zanah was in the middle of a game of pool when Dick walked into the dive she had decided to hang out at the night before.

"Zanah are you okay?"

"Yes, just tired. It was along night."

"Why don't you go home and get some rest?"

"I need to unwind first," she replied as she fired the cue-ball into the midst of the others breaking them with a violent stroke.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not yet," she replied as she moved around the table to begin the task of sinking the balls on the table. Even as her mind wound around ideas of how to deal with Daggett.

"When you're ready then," he said with a sigh.

"Are you okay you look like hell?" She asked.

"I had a bad night. Saw some things last night that shook me up."

"I'm sorry," she whispered in apology for his being made to witness the effects of her programming.

"Don't be it's not your fault," he whispered.

Zanah sighed and turned her focus back to the table. Knowing he was wrong. It was her fault.

"When you're done how does a late lunch sound?"

"Like a great idea I'm starving," she whispered before she finished clearing off the table. "Come on lets go."

Dick stared at the table stunned. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen anyone clear a table that fast. She obviously had been holding back when they played. "Some time we have to have a rematch and no holding back," he said.

"You got it."

At Wayne Manor…

Selina pulled into the circle drive and got out of her car. She grabbed her gift for Bruce and started up the steps. She fixed her hair nervously and then knocked on the door.

She was let in by Alfred and lead into the study. She took a seat on the couch and waited nervously, knowing that what she had to say might very well seperate them again, but knowing it had to be said.

Bruce walked in and Selina stood she handed him a box she had brought with her. "Don't open it till after dinner okay."

"Okay."

Selina sat back down knowing she had to tell him he truth, but afraid if she did he would hate her.

"Selina what's wrong," he asked seeing her uneasiness.

"Bruce I have some things about myself that I need to tell you… Things about my past five years."

"Selina I don't care about it."

"You may not, but Batman will… Bruce after I killed Shrek everything fell apart for me. Mom died and things got worse Catwoman took over. I became a thief…"

"Selina it doesn't matter."

"Yes it does Bruce. You hate criminals and I am one. Can you honestly except me."

"Selina whoever you were, what ever you became, what ever you did it doesn't matter now."

"Bruce if I were ever exposed I would go to jail for a very long time. I don't know if I could live with the fact that I had destroyed your good name."

"Selina… Catwoman changed when you came back to Gotham she's not on the wrong side of the law any more."

"But…"

"No Selina your past is yours. I don't need to know what you've done while you were gone. I can live with it. The real question is can you?"

"I don't know."

"What ever it is I'll help you get through it?"

"Thanks Bruce, but this is something I have to handle on my own."

After Dinner… 

Bruce opened the gift from Selina. He stared at contents of the box confused. It was holding several files.

"What is this?"

" Dirt I dug up on Daggett. I figure you'll put it to better use."

"How did you get this?"

"After the Cat-food Factory I got a job as a secretary in the company. I've been digging ever since."

"Selina do you realize how dangerous that is. Daggett has a weird history."

"I've noticed. Bruce the man is into everything."

"What do you mean?"

"Drugs, money laundering, gun smuggling, racketeering, the list goes on and on. But every things untraceable."

"How did you find it?"

"I've aquired some new skills. This is what I've found so far. It's not much really. Just the tip of the iceberge."

"Did you ever consider becoming a detective?"

"No."

"Maybe you should, but Selina I don't want you going back there. It won't take Daggett to find out his new secretary is my old girlfriend."

"He didn't figure it out yet."

"Yes, but in a few days you'll be in every paper in Gotham."

"Okay Bruce, I won't go back there," she promised.

"Good."

"Besides I can o everything I need to from right here."

"Selina leave it to me."

"Bruce I owe this guy. I'll play an intrical part in his fall."

"You've done enough already."

"Bruce he tried to kill me."

"I know and I'm not going to give him a reason to try again."

"Bruce…"

"No Selina, I mean it. I don't want to lose you again."

"Okay, but I'm doing this under protest. I want to help."

"You will."

"How?"

"You'll testify."

"Bruce I can't…"

"You're back in Gotham Catwoman is not in trouble here."

"Yes, but Selina works for Daggett he'll send his goons to get me."

"You'll stay here."

"But it's not safe here either, he's already after you."

"Selina this place is a veritable forteress, as far as I know you're the only one who can get in here."

"Bruce…"

"You'll be safe here," he whispered and he grabbed her hand in reassurance.

"Okay, I guess you're right."

"Good when the time comes you can bring Zanah back as well."

"That's not up to me it's up to her."

"You're right, but I'm pretty sure she'll follow you…"

"Bruce can we do something else for a while this conversation is beginning to give me a headache."

"Of course we can," he said sitting down next to her. "But what do you want to do?"

"I don't know."

"How about a movie?"

"Okay."

The two got up from the couch and moved out of the study into the entertainment room. Selina sat down on the couch and waited as Bruce turned on the TV.

"Got any particular requests."

"An action movie of some kind."

"Okay got it."

Bruce put a movie in the VCR and then took a seat next to Selina. The room remained silent. Neither of them said a word they just sat and watched the movie. About halfway through Selina finally spoke.

"Bruce why were you so insistant on pushing me away."

"Because I was hurt when I learned you were alive. I had been convinced you were dead and then to learn you weren't and that you were dead and then to learn you weren't and that you never called never wrote not a word from you. I really loved you and you hurt me so I wanted to hurt you like you had hurt me."

"Bruce I'm sorry I just figured you wouldn't want anything to do with me."

"No Selina, what you did, what ever you've done it could never change how I feel about you," he whispered.

Selina looked relieved and they again fell silent, but the distance that had been between them was gone and as the hero and heroine in the movie got close so did they.

Alfred walked past the room and up the stairs to turn in for the night. Glad to see the two of them together again as they belonged. Glad to see the anger between them gone and replaced with their true feelings. Most of all he was satisfied to see that now Bruce Wayne was truly happy.

Selina woke several hours later to see the news had started. She lifted her head from Bruce's shoulder and he opened his eyes. "I guess we fell asleep," she whispered.

"I guess the past few days are weighing down on us harder than I anticipated."

"What time is it?"

"Nearly midnight"

"I should get home."

"No it's late you're tired it's too long a drive. You can stay here in one of the guest rooms."

"Bruce…" she began in protest but then stopped knowing he was right. "Good night then."

"Good night Selina," he whispered and he kissed her briefly before turning off the TV and turning to move up stairs followed by Selina whose hand he still held.

"Where to?"

"Down the hall fourth door on your right," he whispered.

  Each turned to go their separate ways but neither let go of the others hand. Neither one wanted to part the others company and for a moment they just stood there silent. They didn't say a word they didn't need to. Each knew the others thoughts. Bruce had suggested a guest room but she had known downstairs that wasn't what he really wanted her to do, and now as they stood there he made up his mind.

His grip on her hand loosened and he rubbed his fingers against hers before pulling her gently in the direction of his room. Selina stood silent part of her wanting to go with him but the other half of her knew to do so was foolish. They had just gotten back together and things were moving too fast.

"Good night Bruce," she whispered making it clear she was going to leave him.

"Good night Selina," he said. Bruce then kissed her hand before letting it go. He brushed a few lose strands of hair away from her eyes before she turned and made her way down the hall. Bruce stood there and watched until she was out of sight before turning towards his room. He had wanted her to come with him, but he should have known she wouldn't come. After the way he had treated her earlier he was surprised she was even talking to him. She didn't trust him yet, and understandably so. Still he was disappointed and found himself wishing he had just told her how he felt sooner. Bruce moved into his room and settled in for the night.