Disclaimer: I, the kiddo, admit that I have not a single sense of ownership for the heros of DC, and, I am NOT making any profit from using my imagination. Did you get that on tape? sighs That was the hardest thing I've ever been forced to do. :P
Summary: Revenge is sweet, but Bruce's ex-girlfriend takes 'sweet' into a whole new meaning as she lives her fairytale. A Bruce and Dick piece.
Author's Notes: This story is a sequel to Marcie's sweet fic, "Priorities". I recommend that you read it, lovely piece. Anyway, this idea struck me while reading that story, and I thought that it was time for me to get back in business after long time of absence. Reviews are highly appreciated.
Special Thanks: To my best friend, Marcie Gore, thank you for letting me borrow your characters and for the wonderful advices and suggestions you've provided me. Thank you. And a BIG thanks goes out to Marilyn, who suffered greatly as she beta'ed this piece for me. Sowwy and tanks!
Chapter One: And Down, She Fell
Darkness had claimed the city of Gotham long time ago, and the city clung to the night's blanket as tightly as it could, its people glad for some rest. The shiney dots which glittered arrogantly in the sky watched in boredom as the lights went off, one after another. Tonight, the sky was theirs as mommy left the children behind. They were glowing more brightly as they celebrated their annual days without being blinded by the moonlight. Each one tried to shine brighter than the other, trying to take over the dancefloor of their huge disco party.
They dimmed for a moment, a tiny white dot catching their attention as it made its way through one of the darkest neighbourhoods in Gotham. They lost interest quickly, going back to the competition for the brightest star of the galaxy.
The dot kept moving, taking angry, heavy steps as it ate up the distance which separated it from its final destination. The white turned out to be a beautiful woman in her early twenties, her blonde hair tied back into a tight ponytail. She was wearing a stunning white low-cut dress, with white fur covering her bare back. Her expression, though, had nothing to do with beauty. The beautiful face was twisted into an angry snarl, as a flush covered her cheeks. All the way, she mumbled a steady stream of curses.
The white dress glowed. Its bright color a contrast to the dirty place the woman was in. Obviously, it was not a place for a lady like her to take a stroll in. The neighbourhood's residents watched with glazed eyes as the pretty woman walked past them, watched every inch of her and especially the expensive dress and fur she had on. They did not forget the shiny purse she was holding close to her side.
One homeless guy, who sat on the cold sidewalk leaning on the wall suddenly nudged his friend roughly. The other unfortunate soul, who found himself without a home or a family after losing his money gambling, woke from his snooze with a sharp jerk. He glared at the filthy man beside him before following his finger to where he was pointing.
His mouth watered at once, watching as the "loaded" lady walked before them. He could still remember the days when his wife used to wear such dresses, spending his money. But that was all what left for him, memories. His eyes fixed on the beautiful woman, he didn't see as his partner leaned forward before he whistled.
"Hey yo, ma lady!" Jeb called, his arm drapped over his slightly-raised knee. "Got few bucks to spare, me and ma bud would sure appreciate a beer," He wiggled his eyebrows when she looked at him, "and your company, of course."
Jeb flinched as a heated glare was directed to him and Chad did not like the cold smile she gave them. "I hope you won't appreciate it more than your companion's, you dun wanna hurt his feelings now, do you?" Her lack of using proper language did not fit with her appearance. It was a language a "lady" would use.
After those words, she was on her way, leaving two stunned men behind her.
Chad and Jeb stared at each other and once the words sunk in, a flush crept to their faces. Jeb shouted angrily after the woman, "Why you-?! Lady isn't a word for you, you stinking, rich witch!" He jumped to his feet, waving his hand in the air. He opened his mouth to continue but all the words fled leaving him speechless.
"Sit down, ol' man." Chad tugged at the dirty jacket, sending the big man on the ground with a thud and an 'oof'. "You dun wanna mess with your blood pressure."
Jeb, once again, got himself comfortable. He took one last glance at the retreating back of the woman, and sighed. He wished he exploded back then, he should have given her a piece of his mind. How dare she!
"Hey, Jeb." He looked at the man beside him, and he frowned at his smirk. "Are we that obvious?"
"Oh, just shut up, C!"
"Hey, you have to be a GAP!" Chad thumped his chest, triggering a bout of coughing. He stared at his partner, "Just like me!"
"GAP? And, Lord help me, what's that?"
Chad grinned, "Gay and Proud!"
Jeb rolled his eyes and sighed, "One of these days, babe. One of these days."
Candice was a mess, and an emotional one at that. She could not believe how life could turn 180 degrees on such a short notice. Earlier this night, she would have flown if she had the ability to perform such act, but right now she felt as she had reached the highest sky and then the rope which supported her was abruptly cut. Now she was back on Earth with no hope of flying back up to the lovely world above.
She had fallen hard for Bruce Wayne, that strong-built man whom she had the honor of being his girlfriend for more than two months. They had met at the Mayor's charity ball and since then, she had been living her greatest dream.The dream of every young girl who imagines being at the side of her knight in shining armour. Bruce was that to her--the man of her dreams.
She turned, entering a dark alley, her face still fixed into an angry expression. She was a bomb waiting to explode, waiting for anything to trigger her so she could could get all the anger out of her system.
Two months of her life, wasted! Gone with no return. Spent with no use, dropping her off back to her real life, away from the world of dreams. The journey was over and reality had crashed down on Candy.
She had recieved a call that morning from her soon-to-be ex-boyfriend, inviting her to that huge mansion of his. She agreed at once, butterflies flying in her stomach, giving her that great sensation everytime she was with Bruce. Two months had passed and she was still getting used to it. She just could not control it, could not control how Bruce made her feel.
How what he had could improve her life.
She had heard the seriousness in his voice as it travelled through the cords and wires into her hearing. She barely contained her happiness, finally after all that time, the dating would pay off.
Happily, she jumped on the bed. She didn't bounce, the mattress was too old for that. She turned onto her stomach, cupped her face with her hands, and started to daydream. Today is the day, she grinned goofily, let's just hope that brat is not around to destroy my evening.
She grimaced, she hated kids, especially Richard's type. All hyper and lively with no manners at all. He would make weird faces and childish movements and then expect something from her. What exactly? She wasn't sure, but Bruce always laughed. She would force a smile, be sweet with the child. If that was what it takes to be Bruce's bride, then she would tolerate him.
She got up from the bed, heading to the kitchen's counter and stared at the information packets she had asked for. Well, Dick won't be a problem anymore. She grinned once again, with him out of the picture, Bruce and I will live happily ever after, and I can get to enjoy being rich to the fullest.
Yes! She jumped to her feet, she had things to arrange.
All to waste. All that planning, all that money... wasted for nothing! She had arrived at Wayne Manor, her hopes as high as the seventh sky, only to have her dreams squashed, stomped upon. All because of that... brat! And what did Bruce take her for? A nanny?
She arrived full of hope and joy only to have Bruce destroy her hopes, her dreams. She couldn't believe this had happened. As she prepared to leave the mansion, Alfred escorted her to the door and called her a cab as her hired car was nowhere in sight and Alfred would not let her leave on foot. She got into the cab and gave him the address of her home.
She stopped suddenly in the alleyway, her insides boiling with anger. He did not know, Bruce did not know anything about her... about what she has been through to get this far. He had no idea that she was living in this junk of a neighbourhood, on th verge of losing her small, filthy apartment. To lose her home.
It was all a coincidence, all it was a lost good luck which stumbled on her by mere accident. She was working at the garden of her employer when she suddenly saw the bundle of letters in the "Recycle America" box. Out of curiosity, she started to rifle through the mail. Her eyebrows shot up when she found an invitation to the Mayor's charity ball. She vaguely remembered reading about how huge the event was going to be.
The wheels in her head started to turn.
With the help of her friend, she was able to make it to the ball wearing a new dress. Debts can do wonders. That was when she met him, when she set the wheels in motion to move from her old life into one of wealth and status.
'Two months,' people would gasp, 'You're one lucky girl! No one dated Bruce that long.' She was the envy of lots of people, and she loved the attention. Going from a nobody into the subject of people's gossip was exciting and she craved the attention it brought her.
All of that only to come to this point: breakup. Here she was, walking in the dark to reach her small apartment. Back to reality. It was not easy, not at all.
Her best friend, Anthony Sanderson, had helped her once again. This time, he had purchased her real fur from the black market for a cheap price, a new dress and hired a limo. She could not have done anything if it were not for his help. But all his work was for nothing, she did not reach her goal. Game over. The first thing she entered the Manor, the driver screeched out of sight. And the cab refused to drive her further than the park, after that she was on her own.
Now, here she was, pulling the door of the building back and letting it slam. She started climbing the stairs all the way to the third floor, all the way searching viciously for her keys. Before she could even jab the key into the hole, the door was suddenly opened.
"Back so soon? That can't be good! What happened?" The man who opened the door stood tall a few inches more than six feet, and had brown hair. His concerned brown eyes stared at the blue. "Are you okay?" He saw the haterd and rage in his friend's eyes, "What's wrong? Did he hurt you?"
She shoved him out of the way and shouted, "Yes! Yes, he hurt me, he hurt me real bad!" She threw her purse against the wall, and heaved. She was so angry. "He broke up with me!" She turned around to face Sanderson, "With me, Tony. ME! How could he do such thing? How dare he?" She kicked her shoes off, "Why that sonva! I'm gonna show him a piece of my mind!"
"Whoa, whoa! Wait a sec, time out!" He waved his hands, trying to calm her down so she could listen to him. "He dumped you?!"
She glared daggers at him and he was smart enough to step away from her. She grabbed a shoe and threw it at him, he squealed and stepped away from the flying object. "Thanks for the reminder! Yes, he did, you mean, unsensitive bastard!"
"But why? Ye told me he liked you, and you were so sure that he'd propose tonight."
"He did, I was! But his seriousness was directed toward something else, breaking up!"
"There must be a reason?" He tried to make some sense of the situation, tried to squeeze the word sense into this situation.
"Ooh, yes, there is. He thought I'm the best one to play a 'mommy' for that brat of his." She spat. "Well, damn them both! I would not take him back unless he comes crawling back to me, beggin' for my forgivness! Begging and doing anything to have me back. Even getting rid of that brat." She smiled coldly as different polts swirled in her mind.
Anthony cleared his throat, and she sharply turned her head towards his direction. With a raised eyebrow, she waited for him to speak.
"Actually," he stared at her, "That could happen."
AN: Hope you've liked it! It's the first of many to come, but I have to warn you, I'm a bit lazy. grins Please review, I'm not a telepath! :P I really wanna know what you think of it, so I could decide either to start working on something else or finish this one! And, for those who read my fics before, did my writing improved?? Thanks for reading!!