TW: There is a passing mention of paedophilia in this chapter.

Storge part V

He found her on his bed when he returned from his date with Rachel. This time she was not asleep, but comfortably lying down, her curls spread on the pillow, wearing just a black lacy lingerie. She put her phone away when he entered, turned to her side to look at him better, and had a smile waiting for him, a dark seductive one. Bruce never wanted her so much. He wanted to hold her down fuck her so thoroughly that they would never be able to stop feeling each other's fingertips no matter how long apart. But he couldn't, he knew he couldn't. Not like that, not anymore.

Bruce sighed. His hands in his pockets, and he just stared down at her silently begging her to say something, but Selina remained unfazed just looking at him with a bored expression.

'Selina, we can't keep doing this.' He finally said after a long while.

'Why? Will your girlfriend be jealous?'

He feared that she would be like that.

'Selina, don't…'

'Don't what, Bruce? You don't wanna have sex?' She stood up from the bad, her movements stiff with anger instead her usual smooth feline gestures. 'Fine by me. Ciao.'

'No, please, let's talk.' It was so hard to not touch her, but he feared that if he did, they would fall in their usual dynamics and nothing would change.

'You don't need to break up with me, this time. You didn't bother before. This now? It was just sex. We can just stop.' To his surprise, she didn't sound bitter, just sad.

'No.'

'No, what?'

'It was not just sex and you know that. Selina I am sorry. I am. But I can't keep apologizing forever. I hurt you, I know I did, and I regret it everyday, but I can't go back in time. I can't fix it away and give us back the ten years we've lost. I can't unabandon you. I wish I could, and not just because you were pregnant, but because living apart from you was the hardest thing I ever done and I can't do it again. Please don't make me.' He made a pause, scared to his core, but she said nothing, so he continued. 'But I can't keep doing this either. Do you know what it was like tonight? What was like flirt with Rachel, hold her hand, just talk to her? It was really nice. But it was not enough, it was not what I wanted, because every time I looked at her she still was not you.'

He waited for her to say something hurtful, to dismiss his feelings, to laugh at his face, to call him on his own bullshit. So many times before he wondered if Selina hated him with the same intensity she loved him, so many times she gave him clues that was so. So many times she hurt him to make him understand how deep her wound was.

But Selina said nothing, she just stared at him, gobsmacked, like she was seeing the ocean for the first time. He approached her, he took her face in his hands, stared at those eyes that he loved so much, trying to make her understand, to make her stay.

'And I want you. God… I want you.'

Her breath hitched.

'You will screw up again, I know you will.' She said with a strangled voice, her hands covering his tightly.

'Honestly? I probably will. And so will you. But we can always make up later.'

She bit her lip and looked away for a second, his heart faltered, he felt like they were on a cliff's edge, so close to the fall and even closer to heaven.

She turned her eyes to him again, they were so dark.

'We will traumatise Helena so badly.'

He chucked in wonder, barely believing that she wasn't leaving.

'Every parent do that to their children a little. Please, Selina. Give us at least a chance to try.'

They stood that way forever, her eyes closed, he leaned his forehead against hers, he had never been so afraid in his adult life, he tried to not hold her too strongly but it was hard.

'Okay.' She finally breathed.

He blinked, his whole body feeling numb, like all his muscles had relaxed at once.

'Okay?' He repeated, his voice weak.

She giggled softly it was also half a sob.

'Yes.'

'Oh thank you…' He kissed her hard, Selina squeaking at the intensity of his ministrations. He hugged her close and tight by the waist, he wanted to feel every inch of her. They kissed until their lips were bruised, until it was so hard to breathe that he had to spread the kisses to her cheek, sucking her earlobe and the skin of her neck. Selina undid his tie and the buttons of his shirt to return the favour, and she was fumbling with his trousers when Bruce held her hands.

'I don't think I can today.'

She looked up breathless and confused.

'What?'

'I want to. You know I do, but can I just hold you? I'm so tired.'

She frowned a mix of amusement and endearment in her face.

'Really?'

He felt his face turn hot.

'Yeah…'

'Okay…'

He undressed with her help, and they cuddled. He was still spreading light kisses on her back and shoulders when she asked.

'Are you sure you don't wanna…?'

'No, I'm fine. This is nice.'

'Sure, old man.'

'You're older than me, Selina.'

'How dare you!' She tried to kick him, but he just held her calf, sliding his hand up and down over her smooth skin.

'I still have to leave later.' She said after a while, Bruce was almost falling asleep. 'Barbara is dropping Helena in the morning.'

'Come have lunch with me, the both of you?'

'Okay… But I don't think we should tell her just now.'

'Fine.'

'Really?'

'Yeah, I'm not thirteen again, Selina. I won't keep pushing you to call yourself my girlfriend.'

'Oh, thank god.'

'But you are though, my girlfriend.'

'I swear to god I will smother you with a pillow!'

'You get the order wrong, first you marry the rich man, then you get him killed under suspicious circumstances.'

'I will not respond to that, because next you will be trying to push a ring as well as a more ridiculous title than girlfriend.'

'So you will completely ignore the murder part just because you are horrified at the prospect of a proposal?'

'There, I knew it. We just agreed about trying and you are already pushing further. Didn't you say you were tired? Go to sleep.'

'I'm joking, Selina.' He playfully bit her shoulder. 'You can be just my girlfriend.'

'Oh, how generous of you, thank you.'

'For now…'

'That's it, I'm leaving.' She made a half-hearted attempt to get up, but his grip on her straightened and soon he was making her giggle with a mix of tickles, kisses and more little bites.

Bruce called Rachel the next day, said their project was still up, but that he wouldn't be seeing her again.

'You broke up with her over the phone? Jesus, you are bad at this.' But she had an gleeful expression as she ate his fancy ice-cream direct from the container. She was sitting on Alfred's granite countertop, her legs swinging rhythmically.

'I thought you would be happy.'

'About you breaking up with your prissy girlfriend? Couldn't care less.' She said performing nonchalance.

He snorted.

'Yeah, right.'

Bruce wiped his hands, he was making pies for Dick and Helena take to school party, Alfred had offered but these days Bruce tried to give the old man more sitting time, his knee never quite recovered. He walked towards Selina, entering the space between her legs, his warm hands grabbing her thighs and squeezing a bit.

'I mean it.' She said defiantly, her chin up.

'Whatever you say, cat.'

'Shup up, Bruce.'

He pretended he was about to kiss her just to steal her spoon and ice-cream, amused at her involuntary pout.

It had been fun doing it in secret when it was just sex, but now that they had an actual relationship it was so much better, but it was a lot harder to hide. Selina felt like she was getting a second chance to do all the silly stuff they should have done as a young couple. She would send him dirty texts and revealing photos during the day and get him distracted in the middle of important meetings. When they took the kids to breakfast every Saturday he would hold her hand under the table or play footsy. Alfred put up a huge attitude when he found out that Bruce would not be going out with Rachel anymore, but he stopped serving Bruce cold soup when one morning he found his Master and Selina cuddling while asleep. It was one of Bruce's nights with Helena and Selina had to make a whole show of pretending she didn't spend the night at the manor.

'Miss Kyle, I'd rather if you used the proper door, last night was raining, you could have slipped from the banisher and broken your neck.' Said Alfred as he boiled Chinese dumplings for dinner and tried to avoid Selina's chopsticks as she tried to steal one of them before it was ready.

'Awwwn, so he cares. You're so cute.'

'Of course I care, Miss.'

'Yeah? So how come you set Bruce up with that woman? What was that about?'

Alfred sighed dramatically.

'I never expected him to actually like her.' He mumbled.

'What?'

'The children gave me the idea. They wanted to make Master Bruce jealous of you by paring you with someone. I told them to not meddle, gave them a long proper scold to be sure. Then, I tried to find an available young woman that was the complete opposite of you except for the looks.'

'Oh my god…' Selina couldn't believe in what she was listening.

'I thought she would bore him to tears.'

Selina fell in a fit of laughter, holding herself to Alfred's shoulder to keep standing.

'I always knew you were one manipulative bastard, but not in a million years I'd expect that! And that woman looks nothing like me!'

'Petite brunette? Green eyes?'

'She has boring straight hair.'

'It couldn't be too obvious.'

'And why did you change the plan? Why give Bruce a girlfriend instead of me?'

'Because, Miss, I live in this house, with Master Bruce. Could you imagine the angst and the drama that Master B seeing you with someone else would bring to us? I'm already dealing with him running around dressed like a bat, and Master Dick's and Miss Helena's shenanigans, I most certainly do not need to add some pathetic mopping.'

'Good point.' Said her holding a serious expression before falling into giggles again. 'But it's your fault, you raised a drama queen.'

'I knew it was no healthy for a five years old enjoy The Phantom of the Opera so much. He made his father give him a mask and a cape, and he tried to react the scenes, but the poor thing can't carry a single note.'

'Oh god I know!' She laughed again and then blew the dumpling she was finally able to steal. 'The first time we had sex-'

'Do I want to hear this story?' Selina snorted.

'Such a prude. The first time we made looooove. Better?' Alfred just gave her a glare, Selina didn't care. 'Well, he sang for me, it was terrible.'

'It wasn't that bad if it got you into bed.'

Selina gave him a look that was half shock and half respect.

'Oh, that was one sick burn. I'm kinda impressed, but I also walked straight into it, I'm conflicted.'

'Don't go hurting yourself thinking so hard.'

'You're such a jerk.' She shoved him lightly.

'I heard laughter. Am I dreaming?' Asked Bruce entering the kitchen.

'Pff. Do you hear that, Alfred? He's trying to be funny.'

'We had ten years to bond, Master Bruce. There are things about me that Miss Kyle knows better than you.'

'Ohhh, do you want water for that burn, Bruce?'

'I'd rather if you kissed it better.' Bruce retorted with a dirty smile.

Alfred groaned.

'Please, not in my kitchen. Shoo. I want to finish cooking in piece.'

'I was thinking…' Said Bruce gently running his hand over Selina scalp as she purred softly, using his body as a mattress as he lied on the couch in the study.

'Oh no… That's never good coming from you.' She mocked, her hands folded under her chin as she looked at him with lazy eyes.

'Not that I'm complaining, but it really surprised me that you didn't get involved seriously with anyone in all these years.'

'Who told you that?'

'No one… I kinda… Looked it up….'

She fussed uncomfortably over him.

'You are such a creeper, you know that?'

'Sorry?' He said sheepishly and not even a bit sincere.

'Asshole.'

'But why, though?'

Selina rolled her eyes.

'I was raising two girls, Bruce.'

'And?'

'You were clearly raised rich and by men.'

'What do you mean by that?'

'Let me spell for you: I don't trust people, and I have good reasons for that. Do you ever went to a porn site or heard a fairy-tale? Stepfathers and stepmothers appear a lot in both of those.'

Bruce made a disgusted face.

'Oh… Yikes.'

'Yep. I don't mean they are all bad, look at Lee and Babs, but you know? Better be safe than sorry. And your stalking is waaay wrong, I did not save myself for Jesus after you left, I just never brought anyone home.'

'Never even thought about it?'

'No. Not really. Relationships are a lot of work. What about you?'

'I told you before, Selina, there was no one else.'

She snorted.

'You are suck a lying lier who lies, oh my god.' And moved away from him like she was leaving, Bruce held her firmer.

'Okay, okay… There was this one woman.'

'I knew it.' Selina said in bitter victory.

'We were training together. Amazing fighter. She was running away from her evil father. But it ended before it actually started, really.'

'Oh. That was... Underwhelming.'

Bruce's hand became still.

'Yeah. Listen, I think there is someone coming.'

'Geez. Nobody sleeps in this house.' He heard her muttering while she climbed off him to hide.

'B? Are you still up?' Asked a very sleepy Dick, rubbing his eye.

'Hey chum, what are you doing downstairs?'

'I'm hungry.'

'Dick, didn't you have dinner?'

'I did. But I'm still hungry… Can I have a bowl of cereal?'

Bruce sighed, getting up.

'A small one, and it's the oatmeal one not that sugary trash you made Alfred buy behind my back.'

The boy yawned and complied absently scratching his belly. Bruce glanced behind to look where Selina was hiding in the shadows, she had a gentle smile on her face. He signed her to meet upstairs in his room, she shook her head and mouthed that she was going home. He pouted, she playfully rolled her eyes, Bruce mouthed that he loved her and by the way she looked at him, he knew she was saying it back.

'B? Are we out of milk?'

'Just a second, chum.'

But when he looked back she was gone.

Catwoman's criminal activities decreased and gothamites started reporting that they saw her doing vigilantism, especially around the East End. But she had also been seen doing what looked a lot like helping the Batman. She still did the eventual heists, but now she tried to restrict herself to jewellery and some pieces of art. Sometimes she didn't even keep the money, donating to orphanages and organizations that helped children and animals. But she was no saint and was far from giving up the thrill of a good theft, and after all, having Batman chasing her over rooftops was half of the fun.

To be fair, they weren't exactly trying very hard to hide their relationship. Weeks after the agreement there was no announcement to their family, but Selina was constantly at the manor, and instead of Helena begging for her to go out with her dad and Dick, her presence was expected. They walked on thin ice in so many occasions that they started to realize that everybody at least suspected that they were together, but didn't want to rush them.

One evening when the kids set a movie night to update Bruce on Disney's classics, Selina left the media room to help Bruce with snacks and only came back well into the second half of the movie, her hair looking properly tousled, a pink blush on her cheeks and a very guilty smile on her lipstick smeared lips. Bruce took even longer to find his way back to them and he wasn't looking any better when he finally did. The kids couldn't stop giggling.

When Batman appeared on Selina's balcony again, she was waiting for him.

'Well, well, well, Mr. Batman. I don't think there's any crime happening here.'

'I received a bomb report, ma'am.'

Selina tried hard for his sake, but it was too much for her, the snort escaped through her lips before she could stop herself, and she was still having trouble stop laughing when he gave up on trying to look menacing and muffled her giggles with a kiss.

'You are going to wake the kid up like that.' He complained against her neck.

'I'm sorry, you were about to say that my butt was the bomb, weren't you?'

'Shut up, Selina.'

'Now I believe the whole 'you were the only one, Selina' bs. There was no way in hell you were getting laid with lines like that if no one knew about your bank account.'

'Geez, thanks.'

But nothing he said to try to preserve his pride would make her stop laughing, so he decided to make her moan instead. It worked.

I told you so XDD

And yes I stole the bomb joke from B99 lmao.

I maybe or not made a lil bundle of hate possible in this universe…

And now we only have the epilogue last. This story was so fun to write, I'll miss it so much, I'm not ready to say goodbye.

But I must, so... I see you on Sunday. Take care.