Chapter Five: Moving Forward

Wayne Manor-Gotham County- Gotham City

The morning sun shown softly through the windows of the master bedroom. Selina stirred from her sleep and woke to see outside the window the gentle orange hues of the clouds against the blue sky as the sun was coming up over the horizon. Her head was still foggy from the night before, but quickly began to recall when she saw the scattered items of her clothes and underwear across the bed as well as the three bottles of wine that were on her nightstand. She then could begin to feel the pleasant soreness that resulted from the nightly fun. Bruce's tattered shirt was laying across Selina's blanket clad leg. She reached for it and couldn't help, but smell his rich boy scent of dark spices and pine. She giggled to herself upon remembering how Bruce in his drunken state kept fumbling with her bra clasp and getting so annoyed with how long he was taking that she ended up just breaking the damn thing and basically tore Bruce's shirt off. Selina could still feel the gentle strokes of his hard, muscular body writhing against hers. Those deep brown eyes peering into her soul, inviting her in warmth and ecstasy. His tongue teasing and tasting her. The feel his breath against her ear as he whispered everything about her that drove him insane with lust and everything about her that made him fall head over heels in love with her. An all too familiar heat started to rise from Selina's loins. "God, have mercy," said the lustful voice inside her head just wanting to quell her fever. The memories of the night play through her head like a movie as she closes her eyes and begins douse the heat. Her little session ended when the aroma of pancakes and bacon began to fill the air. Selina's eyes shot open and she covered herself thinking that Alfred came up with breakfast, alas that wasn't the case. At the edge of the bed there was Bruce holding a serving tray with two plates of pancakes and bacon, two mugs of coffee, and two bowls of fruit. The look on Bruce's face was evidence that he was greatly enjoying the show that Selina was putting on for him. "Well don't stop now. Things were just getting interesting," he chuckled. Selina had a smug expression on her face, content with the fact that she loves teasing Bruce. "So are we gonna eat, or you just gonna stand there staring like an idiot?"

"Can't I do both?" Bruce's smile was infectious as Selina was sporting one now. Bruce set down the tray on the bed that separated Bruce and Selina's sides. Before Bruce could sit down Selina let out a small "ahem." Bruce looked at her in confusion. "It's awfully rude to have a naked woman in your bed and you to not give her a peek." Bruce slowly began to disrobe for Selina as if he were her own private stripper. She even played some erotic music off her phone to sweeten the mood. "Yum. A meal and a show," Selina couldn't help, but to laugh. With the song and naked dance number at it's end, they were both laying in bed eating breakfast talking about their ridiculous antics last night as they went out just as Bruce and Selina. No masks. No fighting bad guys. Just a man and woman madly in love painting the town red. Their night was filled with wild dancing at half a dozen clubs, Bruce buying two of them, and a high speed drive through the which resulted them outrunning the cops when they broke the speed limit over 30 mph. Their breakfast and walk down memory lane was interrupted when an alarm on Selina's phone went off. "Oh, crap that's right. I was going to see Barbara today." Selina got out of bed and quickly tried to make herself decent before she began the day. "It'll be a great thing to see the old club back in business again. Gotham isn't the same without it," Bruce said and he meant it. Some of his finest memories of days past were at that place. Sure some of them involved assassins and being a drunken asshole, but it's also where he admitted how he truly felt about Selina which made everything else astronomically small.

"Yeah and not just Gotham. As much as things have changed, that place is still a part of me. I know it's shut down, but we both know that I on my own have the resources necessary to bring the old place back in shape." Bruce had been nothing, but encouraging and he knew full well the ins and outs of running a business. She did it with Tabitha and Barbara for a year. She learned a lot from them and a lot during their time away. Bruce himself needed to get prepped for the day. It was a big day taking on the reigns of Wayne Enterprises and he also needed to make a stop at somewhere very special. The pair hugged and kissed each other goodbye like any couple would when they both had a busy day ahead of them. They just didn't know how draining it would be..

Sionis Steel Mill- The Bowery-Gotham City

Mikey was dragged down a long, dark hallway by two of Black Masks personal guards. He was just coming to from the tranquilizer he was injected with earlier. No more than an hour ago he was released from lockup and these two men of Black Mask's were waiting for him. He thought the boss sprung him, which he did, just not the reason's Mikey thought. After he hopped into the back of the car with the one of them thugs he was injected with a sleeping agent. The two thugs soon brought Mikey to a room where he was quickly strapped to a chair. It made sense to him now what was going to be done. Mikey begged to be let go and that he didn't say a word, but the thugs just stood at the back of the room and waited. Soon the door opened and in stepped a man clad in a high class white suit with a black shirt and black tie and black shoes. The things that frightened Mikey the most about this man is that he was carrying a big hammer in one hand and that he was wearing an a pitch black wooden mask. "How long have you been working for me, Mikey?" Black Mask asked. "Th-th-three years, sir," Mikey stuttered. "Three years, Mikey. I helped you out haven't I? Got your brother outta the slammer? Your gambling debts paid off? Now when a couple costumed prowlers come around... YOU SQUEEL LIKE A DAMN PIG! Now I have the cops tryin' to track me through my accounts because you couldn't keep your big mouth shut!" Black Mask soon smashed both of Mikey's hands with such speed and force it was like he was playing a high speed round of whack-a-mole. Mikey cried in agonizing pain. Black Mask knelt down to look him in the eye. "You failed me, Mikey. Now you know what comes next." Mikey began to scream as Black Mask took out his switchblade and began carving along Mikey's face and began peeling it off. With the detached face of Mikey in his hand he asked one of his men to add it to his collection. Mikey in the meantime couldn't stop blubbering which was really getting on Black Mask's nerves. "Oh would you SHUT UP!" Black Mask then took his hammer and started bashing Mikey's skull in. After he took care of his former employee, Black Mask then told the second thug to get rid of the body.

Black Mask left the room and ventured upward in the building and entered a luxurious study. In the far end of the room facing the window was a slender yet shapely platinum blonde woman dressed in a white silk dress and holding a glass of brandy in her hand. "Why Ms. St. Cloud, what a pleasure to see you here," Black Mask greeted her. "It's not exactly a pleasurable visit when I come with grievances. One such would be why the hell my ports are being attacked while trying to help you with moving the merchandise into the city?" Silver downed the rest of her drink and set it on a nearby coffee table. She didn't own the ports by name, but she did hold power over the people who did. During the years after she left Gotham during her uncle's would be killing of Bruce, Silver tried to be the good girl she thought she could be. But then along the way she realized she missed the power she held over others. She wanted to rule. Silver certainly wasn't going to rule this city with Black Mask. He was too narcissistic and unstable, Sliver thought. He was just a pawn in a much larger game. Black Mask took of his headpiece to reveal the face of Roman Sionis. He carried a much younger version of his father's, Richard Sionis, countenance. Roman placed his mask within a glass case in the farthest side of the room. "It was just a couple of fruit loops causing some trouble. Don't worry about the cops though, doll. Judge Addison didn't issue a warrant to look into it and now they have no legal means to further investigate our operation." Silver didn't look convinced though. "We'll see, and if you ever call me doll again.. well you really will need that mask to cover up the scars, Roman." Roman just chuckled. He always admired Silvers take no bullshit attitude. He held his hands up apologetically. "My bad, Silver. Don't want to cross a friend. It's bad for business," Roman said. "Just keep the cops away from the docks, if one of us go down, the other goes down." Silver immediately exited the room and Roman's fake cheerful demeanor changed to that of scorn. "Bitch," Roman scoffed. Outside of the building Silver entered the backseat of her white Rolls Royce. She picked up the paper the driver had retrieved for her and there on the front page stood the image of Bruce Wayne with Selina Kyle out on the town. "Bruce and the gutter trash," Silver said with a sinister grin spreading across her face. "Let's just see how long that lasts."

GCPD- Upper West Side- Gotham City

Jim looked out was looking over the cops hard at work on the balcony of the GCPD. His head was still trying to piece together the events of the past couple of days. He recently learned that the docks were owned by a small company, but he couldn't exactly search for anything given that Judge Addison won't sign off on the warrants. Both Jim and Harvey couldn't even get an arrest warrant. "This Janus Corp. intel is the best lead we've had in all this. Hope it's not all for nothing," Jim thought. At least he was able to lockup the the punks that were at the docks that night. Jim was feeling like he was being backed into a corner though. He then thought back to his phone call with this mysterious vigilante. Maybe, just maybe, he was the guy he needed in his corner. He saw what this "Batman and Catwoman" did to the thugs. They could've easily killed them without a second thought, but they were holding back. They had rules and lines they weren't willing to cross. Jim has seen a lot of scum playing the part of the good guy, namely Galavant, but this time something felt different to Jim. Somehow oddly familiar, too. "Hey, Jim," Harvey walked up beside him file in hand. "So I took a look at whatever I could come up with for this Janus Corp., but I came up with dead ends with to who. However, there were a few guys in forensic accounting who owed me a few favors and they found that around the time that the account for this Janus Corp was made, there was a huge in flux of cash from this account." Harvey then handed Jim the file and what he found brought back not to fond memories. "Richard Sionis? But he's been dead long before the shell company account was made," Jim was now more confused. "Yup, but if you remember correctly the mask wearing nut job had a kid named Roman. Apparently he was sent to a boarding school overseas and when he wasn't there he was sent to live with his maternal aunt. Richard apparently didn't carry that much of responsibility when it came to being a father." Now they were getting somewhere. "But Jim, even if we have any idea who the crime boss is. We won't exactly be able to do anything without solid evidence that even that Addison can't ignore." Jim knew this, but this just wasn't about guns on the streets anymore. Gotham was being thrusted back into darkness. Now may be a proper time to have someone in his corner that worked outside of the system to help uphold it. "Before we get ahead of ourselves, Harv, we need to start looking into everything we can about Roman Sionis. But given now that we're under Addison's microscope it will be more difficult to do so. This vigilante... he was able to get the intel we need." Harvey knew what his partner was thinking, "Alright. Say we do ask for his help, but how? We don't even know how to contact him." Jim then had remembered something. This Batman was challenging the darkness in Gotham. Jim did so during the siege. He took Harvey to the roof of the GCPD and there in the middle of it was the searchlight that Jim had grown attached to. "So how are we gonna to ask for his help with this," Harvey asked. "I'm gonna make some calls to maintenance to make a few.. modifications to an old piece of hardware in storage."

Main Office of Kean Real Estates-Fashion District-Gotham City

"Alright let's get the plans for 33rd floor underway. I want this new building to outshine Wayne Tower within 3 years," Barbara was directing the main architects. The workers filed out of the room rushing to complete their assignments. When Barbara was left alone, she plopped down in her chair and began to massage her temples. All this news with Sofia back and Lee planning on putting her in the ground once and for all was utter madness. Lee and her made a pact to protect their family ever since Barbara Lee was born. Despite their past, Lee and Barbara were now like sisters to each other. It was an odd mismatched family, but in Gotham their have been crazier things. She was pulled out of her thoughts by a familiar voice. "Ya know, I never would've thought there would be a day I'd be seeing you and Bruce competing in building development. But, I guess you two have had animosity considering you pulled a gun on him and jacked his favorite car," Selina said with a sly grin on her face. Barbara was overjoyed to see the face of her old partner in crime. " Well you know Bruce, Kitty Kat. Always so morally stubborn and of course he should really learn to keep track of his things. Of course you should know this after cruising around the world for seven years with him. But, my oh my how those years have been good to you," Barbara said taking a long look at the woman leaning against the door frame. "What can I say, Babs. Looks like you were right about me being a natural beauty," Selina said with a smile. The two women wasted no time before they were tangled in a warm home welcoming hug. "As glad as I am to see you, I'll take it this is more than a social visit," Barbara pointed out. " I was in the neighborhood and was thinking about restoring a certain piece of our past to its former glory. In a more legitimate non-criminal enterprise sort of way of course," Selina replied. "Well Selina, I must say that the ol' Sirens club is running on $50,000 for the down payment. If you need time to raise the money..." Selina then interjected, "Oh that won't be necessary. Do you take checks?" Barbara had a look of surprise on her face, " Well, well. Looks like somebody is doing well for themselves. You borrowing from your billionaire boy toy?" Selina gave Barbara a smirk and curtly replied, " I love Bruce and live with him, but he knows better that I am not with him to be taken care of. A girl has to make her own way in the world after all, right?" "That she does, Cat. That she does," Barbara said. Barbara then walked over to her own private bar in the office and popped open a bottle of champagne. "We'll go over the paper work later, but for now it is safe to say I hope you enjoy your new establishment," Barbara raised her glass and cheered," Hail to the new Queen of the Sirens." Selina raised her glass and cheered, "And hail to the Queen of Gotham. " They raised their glasses to each other and carried on with what new things have been going on around Gotham; most notably Lee's pregnancy. "So Jimbo's gonna be a father again? How's Lee and Barbara Lee taking it?" The mention of the family immediately heightened Barbara's pulse, but she tried to play it off coolly.

"Lee is giddy about it. She's as tough as they come, and my little munchkin can't stop smiling given the fact that she's gonna be a big sister soon. Lee's already in her second trimester. The little one is going to be making an entrance before you know it."

"Do Jim and Lee know if it's a boy or a girl, yet?"

"They know, but they want to make it a surprise for everyone else. But I know it's a boy. The smile on Jim's face gives it away. So, Selina. speaking of restoring the old club and the Sirens...have you gone to see Tabby, yet?" Selina's eyes lowered to the floor. Sadness over her dearly departed friend was hard for her. A sister by bond lost to her. She shook her head, to disheartened to speak. "She would understand if you didn't. Everything that had happened... it was hard on all of us."

"That shouldn't matter. She was my friend. My sister. I didn't even have the courage to say goodbye when I left with Bruce."

"Because the pain would be all to real, but I learned a long time ago, that it's never too late to do the right thing."

Selina looked up at Barbara and sighed as a tear trickled down her cheek...it was time. "I'm ready." The two women got up, grabbed their coats and headed for the elevator.

As the two rode down the elevator, Barbara queried, " So out of curiosity, where did you get all that money from?" Selina gave a coy smile purred "Oh you know Barbara, just made the right investments."

Wayne Tower-Old Gotham District-Gotham City

It was an odd feeling for Bruce to back at the spot where several years ago he and Selina blew up the old Wayne Tower to stop Bane and Nyssa. Now the building has been made brand new and Bruce was more than pleased with the outcome. As Alfred pulled the car up in front of the building Bruce saw a fleet of reporters and photographers just waiting for him. "Over the past several years, Alfred, I've had to endure physical and mental strain in my training and in those situations I've overcome them. But this circus...I'd take rather face down Hugo Strange's monsters with a broken arm than deal with with this madness." Ever since that night in the alley, Alfred always knew Bruce hated the paparazzi. The two of them just barely made it through the mass mob of newscasters without Bruce losing his mind or Alfred threatening to knock out those "bloody wankers," as he calls them. When they were in the lobby of Wayne Tower they were immediately greeted by Lucius. "Good morning, Mr. Wayne. I'll take it the vulture's outside aren't too happy about you're reluctance in answering their questions" Bruce let out a heavy sigh and quietly said, "Who would've thought my second job was the less stressful." Alfred and Lucius couldn't help, but chuckle at his remark. When the three of them made their way to the top floor Lucius handed Bruce a couple of files regarding the new railway systems, the new CCTV systems for Gotham, aircraft designs, and the latest military surveillance equipment. "The other board members as well as some people in the Pentagon aren't exactly thrilled that we shut down the weapons development," Lucius stated. "All of them are to concerned with keeping their wallets fat with the extra payoffs that those defense weapon contracts give. This company will not be synonymous with merchants of death," Bruce replied. Both Alfred and Lucius couldn't help, but to notice the striking resemblance that Bruce had to his father Thomas. The way he carried himself and his drive to do the right thing. It was like Thomas Wayne had returned from the grave so to speak. The two men were immensely proud of how Bruce had turned out. They remarked how Thomas would've been proud of him. As they approached Bruce's office, Bruce's assistant, Amelia, ran over from her desk. "Excuse me, Mr. Wayne. There's a woman in your office. She had government credentials." Bruce was a little surprised, "Thank you, Amelia. I'll see what I can do for our guest." When Bruce opened the door, there in his office staring out the window overlooking the city was Amanda Waller, who apparently helped herself to his decanter of bourbon. "Amanda Waller," Bruce said flatly. Alfred shut the door behind the three men for the sake of privacy. "I was hoping we could talk," Waller turned to look Bruce in the eye, "alone." "Alfred and Lucius stay, Waller," Bruce stated. Waller just nodded to concede. "I hope you don't mind, but I helped myself," she said raising her glass. "That's a twelve year old Purcell's bourbon. I would think a drink like that is too sophisticated for a venomous serpent like you." At this moment, Bruce was not above giving insults to this woman

"I see we're passed the point of pleasantries. Ok, then I'll get to the point. I want that data cache you stole," Waller demanded.

"Ah yes, the data cache that features confidential programs to recreate an army of Bane's, development of a fleet of drones where just one of three of them could tear a city block to shreds, and the inhumane treatment of prisoners by putting explosives in their heads to do their bidding. Fat chance in hell I'm giving it to you, Amanda."

"The only reason I haven't had a hundred of my agents tear you and you're house down.."

"No! The only reason you haven't come after me or the people I love is because you're afraid. Afraid of what I'll do if you hurt anyone I love. Afraid that all your secrets will come spilling out into the open if anything happens to me because you know for certain I made contingencies if that were to happen. So don't you dare come into MY city and threaten me. Do yourself a favor, Waller. Get out and stay out. Gotham is mine." Amanda didn't show any sign of emotion which Bruce knew she was angry. She downed her drink, put the glass down on Bruce's desk, and left. "So.." Lucius began," does anyone else get the feeling that she was Satan incarnate?"

Gotham Cemetery-Bristol District-Gotham City

It was one of those rare days that a patchwork of blue skies and sunlight were cast over Gotham. Selina was happy she could visit this kind of day instead of rain, cloudy, and grim days that Gotham is known for having. Barbara and Selina approached the resting place of Tabitha Galavan. Sure, Selina had helped Jim Gordon stop her and her brother from turning Bruce into a sacrificial lamb thanks to Tabitha's lunatic brother, Theo. But Selina was still glad to get to know Tabitha as a good friend and confidant. It hurt worse than having her own mother abandon her. The grave had been well maintained over the years, no doubt thanks to Barbara. Part of Selina thought it would be too painful to see her friends grave, but now she felt something she didn't get for a long time. Closure. Selina placed a hand on Tabitha's gravestone and finally said goodbye.

"I'm sorry, Tabitha. I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye before I left. That was a cowardly thing of me to do. I hope you understand and forgive me. All these years have been good to me. I'm in a good place in my life and a large part of that I owe to you. You showed me that there were people in my life that cared for me. When I lost you, I thought I would be alone all over again. But I'm not. You taught me so much. You gave me more than I can ever repay. You helped give me a belonging. You were the sister I never had, but the one I wanted most in the world. I'll miss you, Tabby."

Selina backed away from the grave and sighed heavily. This was a feeling she would never forget. Barbara went to the grave and kissed her hand, placed it on Tabby's headstone, and bowed her head. Selina knew there were too many words to be said about Tabitha's and Barbara's relationship. As far as she could tell, this was the best Barbara could express. Barbara and Selina looked at each other nodding that it was getting late and it was time to go. As they were walking out, Selina looked towards a nearby hill and recognized that spot. She visited that grave fourteen years ago. The grave of Thomas and Martha Wayne. She asked Barbara to wait for her by the car and that she would only be a couple of minutes, Selina made her way to the grave site. She knelsmat on the place where Thomas and Martha were buried and began to speak.

"Hi. I'm Selina. This is kind of awkward for me. Sad, too. I'm sorry about that night. I should have done more. I may not have stopped that guy, but I could have called for help or comfort your son and been there when the cops showed up. I just want you to know that Bruce means the world to me. He's a good man. He's strong. Ever since that night he's had a darkness lurking inside, but he always opts out to what you taught him. You would be proud. In a perfect world where me and your son were together today and you were still alive... I would've loved to meet you. Not like this." Selina laid her hand on the headstone and bowed her head in respect.

The Cave-Wayne Manor-Gotham City

Bruce was still furious from earlier. How Waller just walked into his office like she owned the place. Daring to threaten his loved ones. His city. Ever since he got back home, Bruce combed the files of everything she had been working on. The Venom samples that were extracted from Bane, The drone fleet project called Project Hyperion, and Task Force-X. A program designed to implant nano-explosives into a prisoner's head and use them as military assets. Criminals are still people. This act made Bruce want to puke. Bruce knew he was right about Waller not coming after him. He made sure safe-guards were in place as long as he had this info. He logged off the computer and rubbed his eyes tired worn out from the day he had. His brooding was interrupted when Alfred came down the stone staircase. "Ah, there you are Master Bruce. Dinner will be served in about half an hour."

"Yes, thank you, Alfred," Bruce said groggily. When Bruce told Alfred about who Waller was and the scheme's she had been orchestrating in the name of "National Security", Alfred understood why Bruce was so enraged by this. Hell, it got under Alfred's skin too. Back when he was in the Royal Marines he heard of what was done in the name of the Crown and sometimes it bothered him to the point he wondered if he was still a man who stood on the line of morality and reason. It's one of the reason's he left the military. Now, here Bruce was in the same pickle. All Alfred could do was give Bruce room to breathe and vent. It's what Alfred definitely needed back in the day, yet didn't because of his obligation to the Crown. "How can anyone do this kind of things, Alfred? This... all of this! It's utter madness." Alfred looked softly upon Bruce. "People do crazy things out of fear, pride, or anger. Some people think that they're so right they don't care about crossing the line. Thank heavens that you are not one of those people, Master B. That's where you and Amanda Waller differ." Upon hearing these words brought a sense of peace and understanding into Bruce's mind. Bruce soon sat up and stretched and remembered the small turquoise box in his pants pocket. He immediately took it out and flipped it open to reveal a sleek silver ring with artisan finish and a large diamond. Alfred saw the smile on the young man as he looked upon it. It was the same smile he had when they picked it up from the safe deposit box Bruce had kept. "That ring has been in your family for nearly three generations, Master B. Your mother and father would be more than pleased to see you continue to make use of it," Alfred said."

"Mom and Dad," Bruce said, "Do you.. do you think they would like her, Alfred?"

"Master B, Ms. Kyle has always been a cheeky little minx to me, and basing on what I've see from that street wise little girl growing into the woman she is now... Yes, Master Bruce. You're Mother and Father would've absolutely adored her." This answer brought only delight for the future to Bruce, and yet it wouldn't have made a difference. He loved Selina Kyle and as sure as the sun sets in the west and rises in the east, he will marry her.

Bruce soon ascended to the study of Wayne Manor and looked over the smoggy city. It had it's problems, but the city was still his home. It was then he noticed something over the clouds in the center of the city. A shimmering beacon of light where a shadow was cast in the midst of it. The shadow of a bat. He knew by instinct where that light was coming from. As fast a lightning he descended back down into the cave, geared up, and sped out of the cave as if time was of the essence. The Bat made his way to the vicinity of the GCPD Central Precinct. He grappled up from the ground to a nearby perch of an adjacent building and scoped the roof where the searchlight was summoning him. Next to the giant flashlight was Jim Gordon awaiting the arrival of the Batman, if he decided to show himself.

Still sticking to the shadows, Bruce made his way to the roof of the GCPD.

"Waiting for someone, Commissioner?"

Gordon turned around with a mild fright. Jim observed the costumed crusader with a piqued interest, taking note of the arsenal of weaponry strapped to his built and the armor Batman was sporting. "For a guy who dresses like a Bat, he's geared for war. Wonder if he has a military background? Maybe former intelligence operative," Jim thought to himself. The Commissioner held out a file in his hands and presented it to his new ally.

"There's nothing concrete, but we ran those accounts that were linked to the shell corporation. Turns out that they were previously owned by Richard Sionis."

"Sionis. He had a son. Roman, if I'm not mistaken. He would've inherited everything after his father was murdered. It's rumored that Sionis may have some issues not dissimilar to that of his father."

"Which makes him suspect number one, but we can't go digging any further lest we want the corrupt court officials hounding us. I've gotten as far as I can on this."

"I'll let you know what I find." Bruce approached the edge of the building, but stopped when Gordon spoke again.

"I've had moments where I've put my trust in people I shouldn't have. Those are some of the greatest regrets of my life. If it turns out I trusted the wrong person, yet again.. I'll hunt you down," Jim spoke not as a threat, but as a caution.

The detective turned to look Gordon square in the eyes and spoke with a softness, "I'm counting on it."

With that Batman jumped off the building into the streets below. Gordon raced to the edge to look down from the building, but found the masked vigilante disappear.

"Now where have I seen that before?" Gordon asked himself.