BATMAN BEYOND

CHANGE OF HEART

Terry looks into Inque's eyes as she glances at his. He wonders about the situation he's in right at this very moment.

How could this have happen? How did he slip up and allow his secret identity be revealed to some mercenary like this woman, and she's sitting right next to him in his bedroom. He can't do anything to get her out from his house. Fighting her would mean exposing his mother and little brother to danger. That's the last thing he needs right now.

"Terry... I know that it's going to be hard for you to believe me. But I wanted to do this differently. But honestly there wasn't very many options open to me, to tell you that I want things to change between us."

Terry raises one of his eyebrows in both surprise and confusion at the same time. He doesn't know if she's about to confess to him or if she wants something from him. Either way, just the way it sounds brings a bit of uneasiness to him.

"You see, the thing is that, I'm pretty sure that after all the years of working in the criminal underworld, the views people have of me are little more than to be desired. And the fact that no matter what I do, it seems that I'll always be on the wrong side of the law. Since no one is willing to give me a normal everyday job. The most I'm actually qualified for in life is probably being someone's bodyguard. And the likelihood of someone employing me to do that is unlikely. Given my background history."

Terry takes a little breath and nods in understanding. He can just imagine the type of life she had to live up to now. For the longest time he only had seen her as a common criminal and nothing more. But with her giving that small glimpse into her life, he's starting to understand this woman.

"But... I don't understand why you're telling me all this. I mean... yeah that all sucks really bad. But... how can I help you?"

She leans down a little and places her head on his chest, she listens to his heart and slowly closes her eyes. Her exhaustion starts to kick from last night. Just now she remembers that she hasn't gotten any rest since yesterday. Or was it the day before that?

Maybe because of how tired she is, her instincts and thought pattern is a little strange right now. Her actions are a far cry from what she would have done just last month. Back then she would have stabbed him through his chest and killed off her enemy. And yet, here she is now, resting her head on his chest and shutting her eyes while listening to his heart.

"Terry, I'm sorry... for everything. I'm sorry for hurting you and causing trouble up till now. Please... help me."

Before he could respond to her, Terry notices that she starts to lower herself and passes out on his lap. Her breathing has slowed down and he notices that she's passed out sleeping like a log.

However... what's odd right now. Is he notices that his heart is racing and he's trembling a little. Not once in his life did he even consider the possibility that Inque would be sleeping and using his lap as a pillow. Not that it's not uncomfortable or anything like that. But it's just that... not too long ago, she was trying to kill him.

But now... she's apologized... very sincerely to him. If he didn't know any better he would even say that it sounded as if she was about to cry.

"I wonder when was the last time she ate something?"

Wait a minute... what the heck is he thinking? Why should he care about something like that?

"Well she is sleeping in my room... and I can't carry her out to the front door. Heck I don't know where to take her. But I can't leave her here... can I?"

A soft moan escapes Inque's lips sending a shudder down terries body. She moves a little and adjusts herself into a more comfortable pose. Yet Terry finds himself gulping and wishing that nobody walks in on this scene right now.

"Fine... you can stay here for the night. I'll have to lock my room but... I suppose it's best if you get some sleep. Hopefully you'll be gone by morning... geez... how the hell am I going to explain this to Bruce?"

He pauses his mind for a moment as he notices just how beautiful her sleeping and calm face is. For the longest time all he ever saw from her was her tense angry look. Or frustrated look. Or for the most part, seeing her in her strange combat Inque form. But this here... right now, she looks rather graceful and downright gorgeous.

Terry notices what he's thinking and shakes his head a little in protest.

"Come on man you have a girlfriend. Or... rather I think I have one... shoot."

At that moment he realizes that not that long ago he had a little bit of a argument with Dana. He didn't want to get in touch with her right now but he knows he has to. Naturally it would be better if he called and then went to see her to try and work things over with her. But as the situation he's in right now, that makes it impossible. He can't leave Inque alone in this house and leave. All he can do is call Dana and try to work it out over the phone.

"Alright... time to slip out from under you."

Slowly he tries to adjust himself and lift her head with his hands while sliding his hips away from her and stand up from the bed. Only to have her reach around him and embrace his midsection with her arms as she snuggles up to him.

"Uh... um... Inque are you awake?"

Taking a moment he hopes that she's just pretending, and if so he, that means she's just messing with him right now.

"Alright, let's just see how dedicated you are to pretending to be asleep."

Being prepared to be slapped right now he reaches and grabs her right breast. And the only reaction he gets is another soft, much more sensual, moan from her. Quickly he takes away his hand in total shock of what he had just done.

He looks at his hand in disbelief, both in what he did... and at the fact of just how amazing it felt. The softness and warmth to the touch. Looking at her he takes in of just how stunningly sexy her body is. Any man would kill to have her next to him... wait a minute... no!

"What the heck is wrong with me? I haven't even thought of Dana in that way, I haven't even touched Dana like that and... oh yeah... that right Dana, I ... had forgotten."

To his shock he in fact did just forget about calling Dana, and had molested Inque while she was vulnerable. And he knows that right now he better get away from this woman before he does something he's really going to regret.

Quickly and carefully he removes her hands from him and tilts her head up and gets away from her. He stands up and heads to his door. But... then he stops for a moment and looks back at her. And without realizing it, while glancing upon her, he smiles a little.

"I'll be quick."

Leaving his room he slowly and quietly closed the door and headed out to the living room towards the front door. Only to hear the voice of his mother.

"Terry who where you speaking to in your room?"

A cold shiver ran down his spine and suddenly he felt as if he was a child again trying to hide a stray animal. Lying was starting to become easy for him due to the nature of his work. Keeping secrets from those he loved was not supposed to be something a person should get use to. But he can't tell her that he was giving shelter and rest to a known criminal.

"I was just talking on the phone is all."

He didn't turn to face her, but rather started to reach for the door handle. Trying to create distance from her and get out of the house in order to end the conversation.

"Really? It sounded like there was a second person in there with you. It sounded like a woman's voice. Not like Dana or Max. Did you get into a new relationship Terry?"

Crap... this is one of the things he wanted to avoid. And he can't just tell her the truth. But also, trying to lie to her right now would just make her want to check his room. He has to come up with something fast.

"Um... yeah I... No I don't have a different girlfriend. But... you see it's my friend. She's gotten into a little trouble and she's just trying to crash for the night. I told her she could use my bed while I'm gone at work so I figured it would all be alright."

The look of utter shock washes over her face as she listens to the words coming from her sons mouth. To think that he would offer up a room and bed to someone other than Dana is just... very strange.

"Why didn't you tell me? I could have gotten the couch ready for her or something."

Naturally he protests the idea instantly.

"Come on mom. She wants her privacy and needs to think things through. I wanted to give her the space she wants. Look, I'm going to step out and make a phone call, can you please not go into my room and just let her rest?"

With a slight sigh of protest she folds her arms, closes her eyes and nods.

"Alright. I promise not to go into your room. But she better eat something when she wakes up. You can't treat a girl like an animal, no matter what she did or who she is."

He tries his best to hold back laughter as he turns around and heads out the door.

"Yeah I know mom. Every girl is a little princess on the inside."

After shutting the door he finally at long last pulls out his phone and starts dialing up his girlfriend. Looking at the time he knows that he's in for one heck of a lecture or arguing.

"She's really going to let me have it this time."

He holds the phone up to his ear and listens to the ringing. Oddly enough he gets no answer. So quickly he tries again and nothing changes.

"Is she ignoring me?"

Feeling a bit strange he tries for a third time and after four rings she finally picks up. But her voice sounds... aggravated, irritable, and annoyed.

"What do you want Terry?"

Not sure how to respond he pauses but then manages to get the words out.

"Hey Dana I... just wanted to see how you're doing. We didn't really get to talk the last time you called. I just wanted to explain things is all."

Without any hesitation she snaps her reply with a monotone voice.

"You don't have to. I don't care about that anymore."

His eyes widen a little at her statement. If it's true then that lets him off the hook.

"Really? Wow that's great. I was a little worried you wouldn't understand and-"
She cuts his sentence off with another equally surprising statement. But this one... cuts deep.

"I don't care about you anymore either Terry. I wanted to tell you this in person, but I figured since our relationship was mostly done through the phone anyway, it would be best to just end it over the phone. I don't ever want to see you again Terry. All you have ever done is lie and hide things from me. I don't need that type of boyfriend. I don't need that type of man in my life. Don't ever call me again. Good bye Mcginnis."

And with those final words. Not even giving him a word in edge wise, she hangs up on him. Leaving him standing there on the sidewalk right outside his house... Alone.

To Be Continued