A/N: What am I doing? Why am I starting ANOTHER STORY? This won't be a long one, though. Only a few chapters. Or, at least, that's what I'm telling myself.
Thx!
AMM
"Bruce!" I sigh as my name echoes across the marble ballroom floor. I straighten my shoulders before turning, surprised when I see an old high school friend attempting to run towards me.
"Lia?" I ask, stunned as she envelops me in a hug.
"Thank the gods above that you're here tonight! I'm in a bit of a pickle," she pulls away before linking her arm through mine and leading me closer to the edge of the dancefloor, away from everyone else. I can feel eyes on us, curious as to the woman who so boldly threw herself at Bruce Wayne but we both ignore them.
"What's going on? Are you okay?" Lia, or Merlia, she always hated her full name, was like a younger sister to me in high school. She understood to never push or tell me how to process my parents' deaths or live my life. It was a sad day when she left to go to Metropolis to pursue her photography dreams.
"Oh, I'm not hurt, stand down, big bro," she teases as we finally make it all the way off of the dance floor. "No, I need help on a different front. My magazine sent me here to act as the spokesperson for our bit of the silent auction. We're raising money for the new branch of the Children's Hospital up in Metropolis. They spent so much money building the place and flying in top class doctors that they didn't budget for the supplies they'd need to take care of the children afterwards." I nod, having heard the rumors. I donated a large sum of money to the Gotham branch a week ago.
"Okay, so what's the issue?"
"No one has bid on the sheet! All night! I've been here for almost two hours and no one has stopped to even look at the sheet! They all want the car!" Lia puffs her blonde bangs out of her eyes in aggravation, letting go of my arm to plant her hands on her hips. I try to fight the smile at her over dramatization.
It's true, though, that everyone has only been paying attention to the high end sports car sitting in the corner or the different pieces of jewelry set out along the auction tables. I had yet to find anything I would prefer to win but had been trying to keep an eye out for worthy causes. I'm not sure how I missed Lia's sheet.
"And?"
"I hate asking this of you, you know I don't want you to think I'm your friend just for the money, but-"
"Let me guess," I hold my hands up and roll my eyes in mock irritation. "You want me to bid on your sheet."
"Please, Bruce! I wouldn't be asking if I hadn't made such a big deal to my bosses and the hospital." I raise an eyebrow, wondering what the short blonde had gotten herself into. "I….may or may not have…."she glances towards the floor, "saidthatitwouldbeapieceofcakeandwewouldhavepeoplelinedupoutofthedoortobid…."
"Lia," I groan in exasperation before chuckling. Lia was always one of those people I never had to put up a front around. She made high school bearable. "I suppose I could contribute a little something, but I can't be the only one who bids."
"I know, I know, I'm going to go around and see if I can't win people over with my charm," she flips her hair over her shoulder and turns a flirtatious smirk on me before laughing. "There's no way they'll be able to resist."
"Okay, go get 'em tiger. I have to make my rounds but I'll be over to the table later." She leans up on her tip-toes to plant a kiss on my cheek.
"Thank you so much, Bruce. You're a godsend! I love ya! I owe ya!" She calls over her shoulder, once again drawing attention to us. I try not to pinch the bridge of my nose as her announcement of supposed love will surely start up the gossip mill. I simply plaster a smile on my face and move back onto the dancefloor, intending to talk to people I'd rather be avoiding.
It's nearing eleven o'clock by the time I make it over to the bidding table. Most of the sheets are filled out compared to how barren they were when I first arrived. I scan through the prizes before moving onto where the proceeds would be going. There were a lot of college funds and charities but I stopped as soon as I saw the Metropolis Children's Hospital with Lia's name right under it. There were seven signatures already, all bidding a couple hundred dollars more than the previous name and price but the highest bid had hardly reached over a thousand dollars. Rolling my eyes, I grabbed the pen lying beside the clipboard and signed my name along with a rather large amount before casting one final glance around the room and leaving.
I felt I'd only just collapsed into bed after a rough night on patrol when my phone started beeping. Groaning, I slap a hand out to the nightstand beside my bed, feeling around for the shrill device before finally grabbing it. Finally blinking my eyes open, I notice the Metropolis area code. "There is now way Clark is calling me at five in the morning," I groan before swiping my thumb across the screen, answering the call. "This is Bruce," I pull the phone slightly away from my head to yawn before pulling it away even further as a loud voice shrieks across the speaker.
"Bruce! I knew I could count on you, you sly devil!" Lia's voice screeches.
"Lia, it's too early for you to be this loud," I groan, head flopping back onto my pillow. The more awake I become, the more the bruises and fractures make themselves known. In a fight with Penguin last night, I'd managed to secure two fractured ribs, a dislocated shoulder, along with getting grazed by a bullet on my thigh and scratched all to hell by Penguin's new sidekicks or whatever they were.
"Since when is five am too early for Bruce Wayne?" She shouts indignantly. She's got me there, I was always the early riser out of the two of us in high school and I still tend to get up early but last night took a lot out of me.
"Since this morning."
"Oh, phooey, you old man." I roll my eyes before closing them, flopping onto my back. "Anyways, I really do appreciate what you did for me last night. I don't have to worry about returning to Metropolis empty handed. However, I do leave for my train at eleven. Will you be at the office if I were to swing by and grab the check?" I fight the sigh building in my chest, hoping it'd be one of those days I could play the boss and not show up on time.
"Yeah, I'll be in the office by eight."
"Perfect! I'll swing by with coffee and donuts! I really do owe you one, Bruce! We can also discuss your prize when I get there."
I completely forgot to even check what the prize was for Lia's auction. I just wrote down an amount, signed my name, and left. "Sounds good. I'll see ya later, Lia."
"Bye, Brucie!" I groan at the nickname and she giggles before hanging up.
I stuff my hands into my pockets as I step out of the elevator beside my office door. "Good morning, Mr. Wayne," my assistant greets upon seeing me, glancing away from her computer screen to offer a genuine smile.
"Morning, Miss O'Fallon," I grin back before letting myself into my office. It took awhile to wade through applicants when I started looking for an assistant, but I was glad to have found Nicki. She had been finishing up her senior year of college and was looking for experience.
I've hardly sat down at my desk before Lia bursts through the door, Nicki's voice easily heard yelling after her. A moment later, Nicki pops into the office, attempting to explain herself but I simply chuckle and wave the apology off.
"She's an old high school friend, Nicki," my assistant relaxes. "There's not much that can stop her." I shoot a look Lia's way but she pretends not to notice as she makes herself busy with setting up coffee and donuts on the edge of my desk. "Would you like a donut before resuming your morning responsibilities?" I can see the hesitation but Nicki nods and approaches, taking a donut, saying a quiet thanks, and letting herself out.
"You're going to scare my poor assistant off. And she's a good one!" I playfully scolded Lia, grabbing the coffee she brought but foregoing a donut. I open a desk drawer and pull my check book out, quickly signing a check for the promised amount before handing it over to Lia. She carefully grabs the small piece of paper before delicately stashing it in her wallet, careful not to crumple it.
"Again, I cannot thank you enough. That would've been my hide and possibly my career if I'd returned empty handed!" I roll my eyes at the exaggeration but say nothing as I lean back in my chair.
"So, what I'd win?"
"You didn't look?"
"Not really, no. It was a long night and I was ready to leave."
"Oh, well, I hope you're free this weekend because you will be joining me in Bora Bora."
I sit up straight. "What? I don't have time to go to Bora Bora!"
"Please, Bruce! You look exhausted and Bora Bora is gorgeous this time of year! I have to go for a photoshoot and I'm flying another friend out with me. Well, they're going to meet me there, but that's not the point. The prize was a Stranger Session in Bora Bora!"
"What is a stranger ses-do I even want to know?"
"Oh, get your mind out of the gutter! It's a photoshoot where two people who don't know each other pose in couple photos, though I'm sure they wouldn't disapprove if it became a little something more." Lia pumps her eyebrows at me and I roll my in return. "Come on, Bruce! It'll just be for a weekend. I'm going to be taking pictures of the area while I'm there then I'll take a few pictures of you and the other person for the stranger session. You don't have to hang out with them outside of the photoshoot if you really don't want to." Lia's eyes grow big and sad, effectively turning the puppy dog eyes on me. "My company wants to be more appealing to young couples and not just big companies.
I look away, trying not to give in but it doesn't work as she comes around the desk and leans over my chair to stare into my eyes. She plants her hands on the back of my chair, beside my head and my eyes widen, hoping this isn't moving where it might be. But Lia simply continues to push on the chair until it suddenly goes toppling over backwards. I throw my arms and legs out in an attempt to keep myself from crashing to the ground but the movement along with tumbling backwards pulls at my ribs and shoulder. While Alfred was able to set my shoulder, it still hurts like hell.
I lock my jaw and grit my teeth as I make impact with the ground, Lia falling not so gracefully on top of me before rolling to the side, clutching her middle and laughing. "Oh-oh no! Br-bruce, I'm s-so sor-sorry!" I take a couple deep breaths before moving to stand. I offer Lia, who is now in tears from laughing on the floor, a hand to pull her up before righting my chair.
"I really am sorry," Lia promises after she calms down. I roll my eyes yet again but know that my mood has soured as the pain I'd managed to push out of mind has returned tenfold. "Anyways, the plane leaves for Bora Bora from here in Gotham on Saturday at ten. See you there?" I nod, no longer having the strength to fight her. "I'll see you at the airport, then!" She blows me a kiss and grabs her coffee before leaving. I gingerly sit back down in my chair before calling for Nicki.
"Yes, Mr. Wayne?"
"Please come collect these donuts, Miss O'Fallon, and leave them in the break room for the other employees."
"Yes, Mr. Wayne, right away." I don't acknowledge her as she comes into my office and takes the box of donuts, instead focusing my attention on the paperwork in front of me and trying to will the pain away.
This is going to be a long weekend.