Chapter 23

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New Chapter, read, enjoy and review.

Six years and two months before the siege of Gotham City.

"Wrong shirt." I said looking at myself in the mirror.

"I don't see a problem with it." Bruce said standing behind my back. "It looks good on you." He pressed a kiss at the back of my head.

"Except that it's too big." I replied. I waved my arms, showing my hands that had disappeared in the sleeves. "I need something more fitting to go to work."

He turned me around, so I would face him. He pushed the sleeves up, uncovering my hands, and buttoned the cuffs around my wrists. "See, it is fitting." He smirked once he was done.

"It's still too large." I told him. "But I'm already running late. So, this will do." I pecked him quickly on the lips and rushed out of the manor.

Bruce and I practically lived together. I would spend the night over and rushed to work in the morning. Most of the time with my own clothes. In the beginning, I would wear the clothes of the day before. But after the few times Stephens made fun of me, I've decided that I would bring spare clothes, just in case. It did not really change anything. Stephens always knew.

The tabloids and the public were surprised to see that Bruce and I were still dating after a year. Most of them were not really seeing a future for this relationship. Always reminding to their readers that I was just a cop and Bruce was a billionaire. You'd think that in modern times, trivial things such as the social status would not matter. But you would be surprised.

Harvey Dent died one year and ten months ago. Batman was last seen one year and ten months ago. Gotham was rebuilding itself slowly. The streets were becoming cleaner. Our job made easier by the Harvey Dent Act. Once the criminals, mobsters and drug dealers were taken off the streets, they were locked up for a very long time. Possibly for life. And I couldn't say I disliked it.

As time went by, I realized it was easier to forget about Talia and Bane. If it wasn't for the bridge, I would have completely forgotten about them. I was in a happy place. And being in this happy place, I had this stupid hope that maybe, they wouldn't come to Gotham. That in spite of the Joker and Ra's al Ghul being present, in spite of the major events unfolding in the same manners that in the movies. I hoped, stupidly so, that Talia and Bane would never show themselves. Key words: Stupidly.

At the back of my mind, I was aware of that fact. That I was being stupid for hoping for something completely different. But I supposed that when you were happy, you would not expect something terrible to happen. You only could see the good. You could only hope for the best.

"Spent the night with Bruce again, I see." Rachel smirked as we sat down for lunch together.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm really trying to not wear his clothes to work. He's taking a certain pleasure in making me wear his clothes."

"You're loving it." Rachel shook her head before taking a bite.

I squinted my eyes at her. "Maybe." Rachel chuckled. "What about you? Weren't you seeing someone?"

She put down her fork and swallowed her food. "Just as friends." She rectified.

"For now."

She rolled her eyes. "He's been a great support since Harvey's passed. We talk a lot about him or Sue."

"You know, it's okay if you and Liam want to take it to the next level." I told her. "You've been through a lot and you've been going through it together. It would be natural, I think, if friendship turned into something more."

"You've been playing matchmaker a lot, lately." She remarked.

"That's because we're friends and Liam's a friend. And I want you two to be happy." I shrugged.

"I know but I'm not ready for a new relationship." Rachel shook her head. "I'd rather focus on my career."

"If this is what you want…" I raised my hands up. "…then I'll support your decision."

"If I decide to date again, whether it's Liam or someone else, you'll be the first to know."

I sat in Bruce's office. According to his secretary, Naomi, Mr. Wayne was in the middle of a meeting. He and his associate were probably debating about his new energy project. The same one that would be turned into a deadly weapon by Miranda Tate.

Of course, this idea of clean and sustainable energy was all on paper. Bruce needed to find some investors. Investors willing to develop in this project, investors that believed it could work. I knew Miranda Tate would be that investor, she would bet and lost. I didn't think she ever believed in it or was even interested in that project. After all, the only reason she approached Bruce Wayne was to avenge the death of her father, Ra's al Ghul.

"Detective Sanders." Bruce greeted walking into his office.

"Mr. Wayne." I greeted back, smirking. "Mr. Fox."

"Detective Sanders." Lucius smiled at me. "It's always a pleasure to see you."

"And I you." I smiled at him. "So, how did it go?"

"Not very well." Bruce smiled sitting at his desk.

"The board had a very hard time to believe in the clean energy project. Calling it an impractical dream of a spoiled kid." Lucius looked apologetically at Bruce.

"Many great achievements made by Mankind came from impractical dreams." I retorted. "Surely, they see what it could do. Not only for Gotham but also for the world."

"What you need is someone to invest in this project." Lucius said to Bruce. "An outsider who believes in your project. If you find that investment, the board might finally see the benefits of this project."

Bruce looked up at him. "I'll consider this option. Thank you, Lucius."

"Mr. Wayne. Detective Sanders." Lucius said before leaving.

It was silent for a few minutes. None of us spoke. He was deep in his thoughts. His mind probably still on the energy project.

"I'm sure you'll find a way to convince them." I assured him. Knowing it was the truth. Knowing that when Bruce Wayne set his mind onto something, he usually got it done.

He smiled up at me. "I'm glad I have your trust."

"Always."

"I think I owe you lunch?" He got up from his seat.

"True." I nodded. We walked outside of his office to the elevator. "I was thinking Chipotle."

"We had that last week." Bruce countered. He pushed the button to the basement. "How about that Dinner you're always talking about?"

"Sure." I agreed to take him there.

He wasn't the first one I would take there. I had taken Rachel there before. And on some occasions young Blake. After he had a hard day at school. He was an angry kid. Always had been but he was always able to hide it. He was also more capable than certain to control this anger of his. Just like Bruce Wayne, playboy billionaire, was a mask. John Blake, the young smiling teenager, was one to the young boy. The end of his high school years was a few months away.

I've already put in a few words for him to Gordon and to my former instructors. Of course, there were protocols but some could be quickened if you knew who to talk to. He would benefit of any kind of favor treatment. He didn't want it. He wanted to prove what he was capable of. It didn't mean I couldn't secure him some sort of position. Such as having him working mostly with me. Gordon had made it clear, though, as a simple police officer he would be under the commandment of Foley. That I couldn't change. He would work with me, that I knew. But first, he had to graduate from the academy.

Six years before the siege of Gotham City.

I stepped out of the limo. Flashes of the cameras slightly blinding me. I placed my hand in the crook of Bruce's arm. He smiled and waved at the photographs, at the crowd that gathered around the read carpet. I did my best not to look awkward or dumb. Charity events weren't really my things. And Bruce rarely went to them but he decided to come to that one and he invited me to go with him.

Bruce chose to follow Lucius Fox's advice. He was to find an investor and a charity event was good place to find those. Gotham wasn't in lack of rich people that only wanted to gain more. Of course, Bruce wasn't doing this to gain more money. He believed in his project. But the best way to appeal investors was to let them know that they may earn more than they invested in the project. It was unfortunate but that was the way things worked. Would he meet Miranda Tate tonight? No. Not for another year.

There was a reason, I avoided those sorts of events. There was a reason why Bruce avoided those. It was supposedly a charity event. And yet, they had spent a lot of money to organize this event. More than they probably raised. But I guess, this was required to get people to come to those events.

"You think you'll get any offers soon?" I asked Bruce as I took off my shoes.

"Well, they seemed interested enough." He took off his tie. "I'm sure they'll spread the words around them. We'll probably have more new candidates soon."

"I'm sure you will. I mean Lucius had been putting words about the energy project out there. You've been doing it too." I told him. "All you'll be left to do is to choose your pick."

"Are you sure? Or you know?" Bruce asked me walking up to the bed.

"I don't know anything but I'm sure you will. As in I believe it will happen." I frowned at him. He nodded as he sat down. "What was this question about anyway?"

"You can't deny that in the past, you knew about what was going on before anyone else did. I was just wondering if you knew anything about this." Bruce replied.

"Listen, those were specific events. Major ones that changed Gotham for the best or for the worse. Although, this energy project could do so much, I don't know anything about it." I told him. "I already told you that I don't know everything about the future."

It wasn't that I didn't know. I knew it was a major player during the siege or rather the end of it. But I have decided years ago to not get involved this time. So, I played dumb. I knew this topic would come back eventually. That the question would pop up again. But I was hoping that it would come back much later. Very much later.

"I know what you've already said before. If I ask you how you know so much, you won't tell me the truth and you won't lie to me. But I'm curious still."

"You won't believe me."

"Try me."