"The woman, identified as Marla Ricci, was a student at Gotham University. Her body was found drained of all blood and beneath a pile of cat corpses (also drained of their blood), in a local alleyway. Little evidence was left at the scene of the crime. Commissioner Gordon did not comment on the incident, but may speak on it after further investigations have taken place."
"Cat corpses. . ." Bruce threw the paper down and spoke into a nearby intercom.
"Alfred, keep an eye on Selina. . .and don't let her see today's newspaper." Bruce knew now that if and when Selina escapes, she will seek out the imposter. But for now, she couldn't possibly get too far. Not after he had re-opened her wound, which Bruce was now feeling less sorry about.
"Of course, sir." Alfred prepared lunch for Selina as he pondered why Bruce had suddenly become so protective of her. Bruce quickly slipped into his suit of black. There was only one man he trusted enough to speak to in this delicate situation. He jumped into the Bat-mobile and raced through the cave and into the strong light of day. He knew exactly where to find the scene of the crime. It was the same place where he had first met the imposter, and where Selina had been beaten and stabbed.
Commissioner Gordon stood beside the yellow tape which stretched across the area. The knight approached him from within a shadow.
"No evidence at all?" Batman spoke to his old friend openly. The commissioner lowered his head and spoke.
"She was so young. . .I've seen so much over the years, but this. . ." Batman moved in front of the commissioner and spoke directly to him.
"Jim, I've met the person who did this, I just need any piece of evidence." Batman trusted the commissioner to hold himself together.
"She looked just like Barbara when she was younger. . ." Commissioner James Gordon was growing older, but continued every day fighting the crime in Gotham with every ounce of strength he could gather. Batman sensed that Commissioner Gordon was becoming too emotional to deal with this case. He spoke to the commossioner in a low tone.
"The man who did this is somehow linked to Catwoman." Batman turned his head away from the commissioner.
"Catwoman? What could she have to do with this? She's a thief, yes, but a murderer?" Even to his old friend, Bruce could not expose even a hint of such feelings for someone like Selina.
"She wasn't apart of the crime. But she was recently wounded severely. I think the cat corpses are enough of a clue that he committed this crime, and that he wants her to seek him out. . ." Jim raised his eyebrows.
"Catwoman is going after the same person who did this?" The commissioner knew that there was more to the situation than it seemed.
"She's not going anywhere. I am." Batman turned towards the alleyway to study the area. Every police officer stood back and watched the great detective at work.
Selina sat in bed staring at her lunch, picking the tuna off of a piece of white bread.
"Hey, Alfred, can I have some. . ." Selina paused as she saw the old man stand before with a carton in hand.
". . .Milk, Ms. Kyle?" Alfred smiled at Selina. She couldn't help but be curious about all that Alfred had seen over the years. She smiled politely back at him.
"Thanks." She took the carton from his hand. She was tempted to drink straight from it, as she usually did, but decided that for once in her life, she would show respect for someone. She poured the milk into a glass and quickly drank every drop.
"I might as well know whats going on in the real world. . .is there a newspaper around here?" Selina had seen very little of Bruce, and was beginning to feel rather isolated. Alfred stammered for a moment, remembering Bruce's orders.
"My apologies Ms. Kyle, we have not received the newspaper today." Alfred could think of few reasons that the worlds greatest detective wouldn't receive a simple daily newspaper.
"Oh. . .alright. . . I think I'd like to rest now." Selina layed her head down on the pillow and closed her eyes.
"Yes, Ms. Kyle." Alfred quietly closed her door as he left the room. She opened her eyes as soon as she heard the shutting of the door. She partially lifted her shirt and stared down at her wound. She raised her hand and gently rubbed her abdomen. Slightly squinting her eyes in pain, she opened the bandages. She knew that no matter what condition her wound was now in, she wasn't staying much longer. Her skin was mending slowly, and her exposed red flesh still stung from the amount of treatment that had been done.
"It'll have to do for now. . ." She closed the bandage and carefully slid out of bed. Her dark disguise was beneath the pillow she had been laying on, just in case. She quickly left the comfortable pajamas behind and became Catwoman.
"Ah. . .how I've missed this." She smiled in delight. The pain didn't matter anymore. Selina climbed onto the window sill. She breathed deeply and began the long climb down. The feel of her claws digging into the side of the manor revived her spirit. She was Catwoman, once again.
Alfred entered the room to retrieve the tray that Selina had been eating from. Not to his surprise, the room was empty. He found a note on the tray.
"Thanks for the milk, Mr. Pennyworth.
XOXO, Selina"
Night was falling. Batman had spent hours at the scene of the crime looking for evidence. Not a single trace of the imposter could be found. He stood on the rooftop that overlooked the alleyway. He indulged in the light of the moon, the recent blinding sunlight in Gotham was beginning to irritate him. A dark figure approached from behind him.
"Something on your mind, love?" Catwoman's large green eyes looked up at Batman michieviously. Startled at first, Bruce looked away from her. She grinned at him and spoke.
"I know I know, "You haven't healed- blah blah blah." It's getting rather tiresome, Batman." She paced around him, playing with his cape.
"I've nothing to say on that. Your choice is your own." He spoke as if yesterday's incident had never occured. Selina realized something. When she wore her suit of black. . .she embraced her desires, but when he wore his, he did everything in his power to conceal them. They both continually fought through the night. Whether it be for the life of a Gotham citizen, or a rare jewel. They couldn't stop fighting the night, and as they each became the night, they couldn't stop fighting each other.
Selina was deeply afraid. She had never been in the state of vunerability that she had recently found herself in, and she realized that this man had a certain power over her now that he had struck such fear in her heart. She did her best to let the Cat in her do the talking.
"Looking for anyone in particular?" She curled her fingers and leaned her head against his shoulder. He shifted his body away from her.
"I think he was here last night. There was a murder. . .a young woman." Bruce had contemplated keeping the information from Selina, but he knew that knowledge may now be her only defense. Catwoman looked down into the alleyway in horror.
"But. . .it really could have been anyone. You and I both know that there are plenty of homicidal maniacs in Gotham." Catwoman did her best to avoid having to face reality.
"The woman was surrounded by cats. . .drained of their blood." Batman turned back towards Catwoman to find her face pale and stunned. She said nothing. She looked back down towards the alley and turned away in disbelief. She closed her eyes and lowered her head. Batman raised his hand to touch her shoulder. She refused to give him any oppurtunity to comfort her. Catwoman vigorously flipped backwards into the air away from him. She thrusted her body off of the rooftop and down into the soft midnight light of Gotham. Batman looked over the edge of the roof, but he knew there was no need. She was gone.
Selina entered her apartment through her broken window. She felt a chill run through her spine as she saw her blood stains and shattered glass on the floor from so many nights ago.
". . .Miss Kitty?" She glanced into her kitchen. Things seemed to be as she had left them, and she knew that being the alley cat that she was, Ms. Kitty could fend for herself (as long as she had the access of an open window or two). Selina heard a scratching noise in her bedroom and crept past the kitchen and near her bedroom door.
"Kitty. . .?" She slowly opened the door. Miss Kitty bolted through the crack of the door as soon as Selina had opened it. She left a trail of red pawprints. Selina continued to open the door. Her jaw dropped as she stood before what was once her bedroom. Every wall, every blanket, every pillow, every piece of furniture, and every inch of the carpetting was completely drenched in blood.