(OMG! Where did I go?! Actually I was over in the Ratchet and Clank fandom, pouring my heart out into stories very few have favorited or reviewed. *sigh*

I want to thank Shian1998 for reminding me that this fic still exists... and needs an update. It's been like what, almost two months... *nervous laughter* I know, I'm really bad at these multi-chaptered stories. Hopefully I'll get better over time.

GOTHAM's third season has started, but I do not plan to use Season 3 in this fic. Mostly because I'm not on good terms with most of the characters at this point [don't mention Valarie, I can't stand her] , and also because I don't want to jump around from different points in time. This fic will stay firmly rooted in the time Bruce roomed with Selina, just broadening that time frame.

This chapter does seem a little cliche to me [you all knew this chapter was coming at some point] , but I haven't written for GOTHAM characters in a while. I am a little rusty, but I hope I got everyone in character and that I got the first scene somewhat right.

Hope you enjoy this chapter!)

Disclaimer: I do not own GOTHAM or any of its characters. "Insert witty contrast here."

Nightmares

He was there again.

This time, it was worse. The first time it had happened, he hadn't known what was coming. He had been naïve, and during that naivety he had sucked in every moment of happiness that he could get. Now, he knew that the worst moment of his life was going to happen right in front of him, all over again, and he knew no matter what he tried, he could not prevent what was going to happen.

Thomas Wayne smiled to his wife and son and nodded toward the dark alley. "Come on, let's cut through here. It's quicker than going around and we can get to Alfred much faster."

Bruce wanted to scream, to yell at his father that he and his mother needed to run away from the alleyway as fast as they could. He wanted to drag them away from the alley, to anyplace that didn't lead his parents to an untimely demise. Instead, a perfect smile, full of innocence and youth, sat frozen on Bruce's face.

The three of them walked into the alleyway, and instantly, the darkness started to creep towards them. The shadows seemed to reach out and claw at the Wayne family's feet. The alleyway began to stretch out until Bruce couldn't see where it ended. Bruce's stomach churned, and he would have sold his soul to the devil in order to stop-

The man morphed out of the shadows, the gun held tightly in his hand. His face was covered by a hood that was made out of those shadows, and he walked as if he was the king of the world. He pointed the gun at Thomas Wayne. "Give me your wallet," the man said, steel in his voice.

Naked fear shone in his father's eyes. Thomas held out his wallet and pleaded with the man. Bruce knew what was coming next, but he couldn't close his eyes.

The man ripped his mother's pearls off her neck, some of the pearls falling to the street. Thomas held out his hand to stop the gunman from hurting his wife, and the gunman, in fear of being overpowered, closed his finger around the trigger.

Bruce silently screamed as his world slowed to a halt, crimson spots blossoming from his parents' chests. It took forever before they hit the ground, and Bruce could plainly see the shocked looks on his parents' faces.

Bruce turned back around to the gunman, but was unable to move any further. He was rooted in the spot. The man pointed the gun at his head and chuckled. They were only a few feet apart; the gunman couldn't miss his shot. "No witnesses," the gunman said, his mask forming a hideous smile around where the mouth was supposed to be. Bruce watched, in slow motion, as the man squeezed the trigger.

A black shape jumped in front of Bruce and took the bullet for him. As soon as the black figure hit the ground, the gunman disappeared. The figure laid completely still on the ground.

Bruce felt himself rush over to his parents' bodies. "Mom?" he choked out, shaking her suddenly ice-cold body. She didn't move, and Bruce felt like his heart was being squeezed between two stones. He leaned over to his father's body, and slowly shook his father's still form. "Dad?" Bruce's voice cracked, and the boy could feel the tears that made their way down his face.

He didn't want to know who the third figure was, but his body moved involuntarily. He crawled over to the third figure, and rolled the body over until he could see its face.

Selina's shocked expression stared back at Bruce, and her mouth moved slightly. Bruce leaned an ear towards her mouth, and he could vaguely hear her voice call his name. The boy shook as he pulled himself away from her body.

"This is all your fault, you know." The voice was foreign and seemed to come out of every shadow in the alleyway. "All your fault."

Bruce shook as ice slid through his veins. He looked back at his parents' bodies, hoping that they would be standing behind him. The voice made a tsking sound. "If only you had warned your parents about what was going to happen…"

Bruce turned away from his parents and ended up looking at Selina's body. The voice took on a disapproving tone. "Look at what you did. You dragged her into this mess, and now she paid for it with her life. If only you had left her out of your 'crusade…'

Bruce looked wildly around him, seeing if he could spot whoever was speaking to him. Each word the voice said cut into his chest and he got the urge to throw up again. "Show yourself!" Bruce screamed into the darkness.

The voice gave a warped laugh. "Who else is going to die before you find out your nonexistent answers? Jim Gordon? Lucius Fox?" The voice was silent for a moment, and Bruce could almost see a wicked grin in the darkness. "Alfred?"

"No." Bruce struggled to breathe as he heard Alfred grunt in pain and scream his master's name in worry. "No!" he cried as his parents' lifeless bodies sat up and reached out for him. He looked down at Selina, and found his first real friend and crush stiff and lifeless under his hands.

"NOOOOOOOAAAAAHHHH!"

"BRUCE! You need to wake up!"

Bruce felt something grab his pajama top, but before his assailant could try anything, he flipped the two of them around and pinned the person to the couch.

"Bruce! What the hell?!"

Bruce found himself staring into Selina's shocked eyes. He quickly let go of her and started mumbling apologies. "Selina, I am sorry for that…" His voice sounded strained.

Selina sat up slowly. "Are you okay? Cause right now you're crazier than Arkham at Christmas time!"

He just had a nightmare that made him physically sick and chilled him to his core. The last thing Bruce wanted to do was talk to Selina about it. Bruce crossed his arms defensively over his chest. "I'm sorry Selina, I should have never pinned you to the couch. I'm fine, it was just a bad dream." He hunched over and closed his eyes, and hoped he wouldn't vomit all over Selina's floor.

He felt arms wrap around him, and he looked to find Selina hugging him. "You were muttering my name in your sleep," she said quietly.

Bruce struggled to find the right words. "I-I, well, you see-"

Selina cut him off by laying her head on his shoulder. "Bruce, just tell me what happened." He shuffled uncomfortably for a moment before Selina spoke up again. "I won't tell anyone," she whispered, "not even Alfred."

Bruce pulled his arm out from her hug and wrapped it around her. Selina stiffened at the unusual gesture, but relaxed against Bruce as she felt him start to calm down.

Bruce swallowed. "I had a nightmare."

"Gee Bruce, I never would have guessed."

Bruce sighed at her sarcasm. He used his free hand to rub his temple. "It was about my parents, and… that night."

Selina hugged him a little tighter, and Bruce appreciated the gesture. Selina normally wasn't touchy-feely, like himself, but whenever he felt scared or helpless, Selina was always there to comfort him in her own little way.

"The nightmare started out the same as any other nightmare about that night would. Same alleyway, same suggestion to use it as a shortcut. The gunman came out of the shadows and…," Bruce swallowed and closed his eyes. Selina hugged him a little tighter.

"…Killed your parents," she finished for him.

Bruce nodded. "Yes," he squeezed out, the word barely a whisper, "Except this time he pointed the gun at me instead of walking away. He pointed the gun at my forehead and said, 'No witnesses.'" He fell silent again.

Selina let go of Bruce and straightened. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "Come on, Bruce. Stop beating around the bush. Just tell me why you're so upset."

Bruce cleared his throat. "You were there…" He hoped she would just connect the dots, he couldn't bear to spell it out for her.

Selina's annoyed look only deepened. "Well, duh, of course I was there. I saw the whole thing from the fire escape, remember? There was that whole big 'betrayal' thing, when I was put into witness protection, even though I hadn't seen the guy's face." She scoffed. "Seriously, stop playing around! Just tell me what happened, or I'll chuck your emergency debit card out the window!"

Bruce felt sick. "Please, I don't want to-"

Selina poked his chest. "The only way you're going to feel better right now is if you talk out your dream. Now, tell me!"

"You jumped in front of me and took the bullet that was meant to kill me."

Everything was silent for a moment. Bruce stared at the floor, refusing to look Selina in the eye. "You jumped in front of me, and then the man disappeared. I ran over to my parents' bodies, but they were already dead. I crawled back to you, and…" He shook and Selina slowly wrapped her arms around him again. "Selina, you looked so surprised. You were whispering my name and I could feel you fading beneath my hands. Then this voice came out of the shadows, and told me that your deaths were all my fault. That, if I had said something, my parents would be alive today. That, if you had never joined my crusade, you would still be alive. A-a-and he… He asked me how many more would die before I gave up. I heard Alfred scream my name in worry, and, when I looked down at you…" Bruce choked on his words. "Selina, you were dead. And it was all my fault."

He shook harder. "What if I really do put your life in danger? What if my quest for answers hurts you, or even gets you-"

A hand smacked against his cheek, not hard enough to hurt him, but enough to jar his concentration. Selina pulled back her hand and crossed her arms. "Don't. Nothing is going to happen to me."

"But-"

"No." Selina stared right in Bruce's eyes. "I can handle myself in a dangerous situation, much better than you can. I always find a way to slink away." She rolled her eyes. "And besides, if something were to kill me, it would be something like revenge from one of the people I've stolen from."

Bruce nodded. "But what about my crusade? I don't want you to be killed because I dragged you into something dangerous."

Selina shrugged. "What I do to help you is my own choice. I can always not help you."

"Then why don't you?"

Selina gave another shrug. "You're fun to be around. Not every person can say that they helped Gordon, Bullock, and Penguin bust into a crazy cult ritual where you were the human sacrifice. Or that assassins hunted them down because the killers though you knew who killed your parents. Or that you've crashed at Bruce Wayne's place because the cops thought you were special."

Bruce chuckled and gave a small smile. "I guess not."

Selina nudged him. "You know what they say about cats, right?"

Bruce' smile widened a little bit. "That they have nine lives?"

"Actually, I was going for 'somewhat-lazy, adorable, thieving fluffballs,' but there's that too."

The two of them chuckled and looked away from each other. Selina wrapped her arms back around Bruce, and they leaned back against the couch. Bruce wrapped one of his arms around Selina, and the two ended up cuddling on the couch.

"Selina," he asked, one last question still on his mind, "would you take a bullet for me?"

She stiffened against him. "That's a really weighted question, Bruce."

He nodded. "I-If you want, you don't have to tell me."

She was quiet for a moment. "I'll answer your question with a question. Would you give up all your wealth and legacy for me?"

Bruce turned to her and found her looking at him. The two looked down at the other's chin. Bruce nodded his head ever so slightly, and found Selina doing the same thing.

Their eyes met, and Bruce suddenly felt happier than he had in a long time. A huge grin nearly split his face. Selina laughed and rubbed the top of his head. "Calm down it with your puppy love, Bruce."

Bruce suddenly lost his grin and became flustered. "Wait- no- That's not- I mean-"

She snuggled against him and pulled a blanket around their legs. "Shut up, and good night, Bruce."

Bruce laid his head against hers. A smaller smile worked its way back onto his face. "Good night, Selina," he whispered against her hair.

"You know that if you tell anyone about this, I'll have to kill you."

Bruce closed his eyes and chuckled. He breathed in the fruity smelling shampoo she used and immediately felt safe.

An hour later, the two were fast asleep on the couch, each wrapped in the other's warm, comforting embrace.

*cough* *hack* Sorry, breathed in too much fluff. And then I choked on my emo writing descriptions. Kind of early to start writing heavier chapters, but I have no friendship stories at the moment. I wrote this in limited time, and this was the easiest one to write out of all my chapter ideas.

This chapter does feel a little weird to me, but it's a lot better than how I felt about All Aboard the Loony Bus. That fic still doesn't feel right to me, but I don't have the heart [or willpower] to take it down. This chapter is a little better. Hopefully I'm just being paranoid about my writing like usual...

Don't forget to favorite, follow, and review, I like it when you guys do that. And don't forget to check out my bio for an upcoming stories you want to keep an eye out for. (Soothing an Angry Enigma. I know, you do not need to tell me. Like I said before, I'm bad with things that have multiple chapters.)

I do have a whole week of exams coming up, so I won't be able to publish anything until after those are all done. I need to peace out right now because I actually need to start studying for one on Monday. See ya!

XD