The Scars Left Behind
This is the Sequel to the Harlequin and the Bat and The Harley and The Ivy.
Important notes: I do not own Batman or any portion of the franchise. I give all credit to DC Comics and respective owners. Except the characters I wrote in my profile.
Chapter 17
*Seconds before opening the folder*
(Harley's POV)
Harley and Bruce took a deep breath, opened it and composed their thoughts. 'A marriage certificate...Bruce was married before...' Harley thought to herself 'Is this the thing they were working on?'
"Is this legit?" Bruce asked, Harley saw her friend nodding in agreement
The engaged two looked at the file once again the marriage certificate had the names: Bruce and Susan Wayne on it but had a large red stamp that read ANNULLED. "Does...does that mean?" Harley began to choke up.
Ivy nodded "I guess that the Church of Gotham doesn't think a marriage to a plant is considered "real"" she slowly smiled. Harley snatched the papers from Bruce and examined them thoroughly: The Marriage of Bruce and Susan Wayne is: Annulled, on the grounds of the bride being a non-human/ Plant woman. She then did a double take on both Bruce and Ivy and quick as a pouncing lioness she jumped on Ivy giving her a massive tackle hug almost squeezing the life out of her. "Harley. Harley! Release! RELEASE!" Ivy squeaked her breath out.
Harley finally released but looked straight into Ivy's eyes "Next time. I won't release." Harley said releasing her grip around her red haired friend.
"Understandable…" Ivy said getting her breath back and saw the door fly open with a young girl running towards her
(Tim's POV)
"It feels wrong doing this Tim." Venus sounded worried
"Don't you want to find out about Harley and Bruce? I mean come on Venus…aren't you at the entire least bit curious?" Tim explained
The two of them listened in on the conversation and heard Ivy straining to say: Release! Ivy panicked and whispered "Aunt Harley's strangling my mother! I've got to get in there!"
"What if it's all innocent?" Tim tried to calm her down
"What if it isn't?" Venus pushed Tim away and flung the doors open and raced towards her mother trying to protect her.
"Venus? Argh!" Ivy spoke then being tackle-protected by her daughter.
"Spying again Tim?" Bruce asked aloud with Tim trying to sneak away, grinning and giggling innocently as he was caught.
(Barbara's POV)
*Inside Barbara's apartment*
"Really…oh that's wonderful news…I'll tell Dick immediately." Barbara spoke joyously in her bed "Thank you Alfred. Goodbye." Barbara said to the aged butler over the phone then placing it down
"Hmm…sounds like Bruce and Harley are still together." Dick sighed with a yawn snaking his arm around Barbara's covered waist.
"Yeah…sounds like it." Barbara turns around and kissed Dick on his lips. "One question remains…" Barbara wondered
"Yeah; are you ready for another cuddle or do you want to wait a bit?" Dick said with a cheeky grin still having his arm holding Barbara softly
"No: How did Ivy get her hands on the marriage certificate?" Barbara wondered "Dick…you're a wonderful boyfriend. But sometimes you really are such a hormonal driven teenager." Barbara smiled "I'll take that cuddle now."
(Bill's POV)
Hyde examined the rubble of Firefly's latest conquest: the destroyed ruins of the abandoned factory across from their former headquarters. His head now covered by one of Deadshot's spare masks, his hair now stuffed downwards down his neck. "Bloody hell…all this…ash. All this ruin, all for a woman…like Helen of Troy all over again." Hyde joked to himself he pulled the rubble away and found his now ruined old helmet, scarred and the goggles were broken through. "*sigh* Old friend…Alas poor Impact; I knew him well Bill, a fellow of honourable stature. Long ago he stood among the Dark Knights as equals and fell to the demons within. How far can a man fall through the spiral that is chaos…" Hyde spoke in faux-Shakespeare as he held his destroyed mask in his hand.
"Very nice; one of yours?" Killer Frost called out to Hyde making him jump
"Bloody hell! Oh…it's you Louise…No it's not. I borrowed a part of it from Hamlet." Hyde explained
"I could guess…well I guess you can make another one." Killer Frost noticed
"Yeah…still…it's kind of nostalgic. All it holds is a memory." Hyde explained
"Speaking of memories…where were you yesterday? We didn't see you all day." Killer Frost wondered
Hyde thought back to yesterday and remembered meeting up with Ivy.
*Flashback to the twentieth*
Hyde found himself outside the Church of Gotham sitting on the bench; waiting in a large brown overcoat and black trousers, his entire head is carefully concealed by a large hat. He heard the sounds of the city go around him but he was waiting for someone. "How long have you been waiting?" a female voice asked him.
Hyde looked up and saw Ivy dressed in a dark green suit and skirt, her hair neatly tied into a bun, black high heeled shoes and a red faux leather handbag. Hyde looked at his girlfriend longingly "To freaking long; but we need to find out about what you said with Bruce's "Marriage" first." Hyde somewhat smiled air quoting the word "marriage" "Let's get this sorted." Hyde said getting up.
"Right with you." Ivy smiled as she walked side by side with Hyde. They walked inside the grand Church, the oak pews carefully aligned and dusted, the red carpet straight down the middle neatly cleaned. Ivy saw the altar where men and women become husband and wife. Sighing she looked down the room "He'd never agree to it…"
Hyde hugged his girlfriend around her waist with his hat taken off "How do you know, if you never ask?" he whispered
Ivy turned around and looked into Hyde's eyes and wanted to kiss him but was interrupted by the middle aged Priest who was there "Ahem; I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"
"Err…no, sorry Father…actually we called earlier…" Ivy answered
"Hmm…ah yes. Mrs Carlyle you and Mr…Swann was it? Please come this way." The Father asked
"Swann; that's not your real last name is it?" Ivy whispered
"No…and what's this Mrs Carlyle business?" Bill asked as they saw the Father open the door.
"This way please." The Priest spoke politely "Now…what can I do for you?" once again very politely sitting down in his chair.
"Well Father…it's like this: our friend is getting married and he doesn't know if he's had an annulment/divorce or not." Ivy explained
"I see and who is this friend?" The Father asked
"Well he prefers to remain anonymous." Ivy explained
"I see. Well I cannot do anything, unless the person is here himself or you give me his name." The Father answered
"It's Bruce Wayne." Bill answered "I'm sorry but the quicker we do this the quicker we can get back home."
"Ah. Yes…I'll get the file." The Father answered looking through the marriage files.
"I thought you were more diplomatic than this?" Ivy whispered into Bill's ear.
"I know but time isn't on my side *Cough* besides Firefly's escapade last night is playing hell in my lungs." Bill coughed and explained
"Ah here we are." The Father spoke gladly he put on his reading glasses and examined the paper "Yes here we are: Bruce and Susan Wayne. Marriage…yes, this seems correct."
"What seems correct?" Ivy asked leaning forward
"Well, according to the marriage certificate. Mister Wayne has an annulled marriage." The Father said taking his glasses off and placing them onto the table.
"On the basis of…" Bill asked looking at the Father who seemed taken back because of Bill's voice.
"On the basis that: it's quite impossible to consent to a marriage of a person and a mutated plant creature." The Father said in a confirming voice.
"May I have a copy for Mister Wayne…he's been preoccupied to ask for one." Ivy asked holding her handbag on her lap.
"Hmm…it's quite unusual. I mean usually the person in question must…must…" the Priest spoke with a good conscious but then became hazy in his speech "I'll just make a copy for you ma'am." The Priest said with a smile holding the file under his arm.
Ivy smiled crossing her legs over with a grin adorning her face, she turned and saw Bill with his arms crossed shaking his head. "Quick enough Boo-Boo?" she teased him acting all innocent.
Bill sighed and then nodded "Yeah I guess. But could you tone down the pheromones, hmm?" Bill asked his girlfriend.
"Last time you asked me that was…" Ivy started
"Yeah we don't need to go into details." Bill interrupted remembering Sonia.
"Still, Tim seems no worse for wear." Ivy smiled and laughed placing her hand on Bills mask covered face as Bill kissed it.
*End of Flashback*
"Bill? You didn't answer my question." Killer Frost asked as Bill was driven back to the new headquarters.
"I was sorting out some paperwork." Bill gave a half answer walking back to the car.
(Talia's POV)
Back in the Church of Gotham the Father was left beaten in a chair. There was Talia, Catwoman and Hush in masks the Priest begged not to be killed in a house of God. "We'll grant your request Father, just answer me: where are the records of Bruce Wayne?" Talia demanded with a stiletto in the Father's foot.
"ARGH!" he screamed in agony "The…the drawers there…" he pointed with his head rightwards.
Selina grabbed the file but she seemed to be more discouraged at the sight of Talia torturing the priest. Naturally she wanted Bruce like Talia but she didn't want torture like this on a person…it was always a striptease-esque torture. "I…I've got them." She said looking through the files.
Hush snatched them from Selina and examined it, his stone gaze turned into a malicious smile "So…Wayne has a former wife…interesting."
"Another obstacle?" Talia seethed in question
"Says here it's annulled…pity, she seems like a nice girl." Hush said out loud
"Y-you have what you wanted…please…if you have any love for your fellow man…you'll let me live." The Priest begged gasping for life.
"We'll keep our word. Release him Hush." Talia spoke without contradiction. Hush did this and the Priest fell to the floor gasping through the pain. Talia answered her just ringing phone, "What is it?" she asked the voice was indiscernible to Hush and Selina. Talia covered her mouth and lowered her volume so that Hush and Selina couldn't hear her. "Read him: Helen and Gaenorr…that's his favourite." Talia spoke in a motherly voice
Talia continued and Hush turned to Selina "What's all that about?" Selina just shrugged; not knowing about Talia's secret.
"Good. I'll return soon. Father?" she spoke kindly then heard her Father Ra's Al Ghul over the phone. "Of course. I understand, goodbye."
"Family problems?" Hush asked meaning her Father.
"None of your concern Hush. Let's go." Talia commanded them and left the Priest to writhe in pain.
(Selina's POV)
"Please…please…let me live…" The Priest begged reaching out to them.
Selina was the last one to leave and picked up the phone. She may have been on Talia's team but she wasn't going to let a man die for helping them through the torture "Nine-One-One what's your emergency?" the voice said over the phone
"Hello there is a man in pain here, he's been badly injured and he may not make it; please contact an ambulance immediately." Selina spoke in a panicked voice to make it authentic.
"Of course! Location please." The voice said trying to get details
"The Church of Gotham. Hurry!" Selina said putting down the phone. She went over to the Priest and comforted him "You'll be okay." She then attempted to leave before being grabbed by the ankle.
The Priest looked into her mask covered eyes and spoke weakly "Thank…Thank you…my child…" before passing out.
Selina looked back at the man but was called out by Talia, as she left Talia questioned her on why she was still in there. "Taking care of the witness." She lied, seeing that Hush and Talia were sated they went their separate ways. Selina went back to her home in the south end of Gotham, she was welcomed by a number of cats "Hello babies, did you miss mommy?" she said with a saddened smile sighing and then falling down onto the bed 'What am I doing? Helping that bitch Talia steal Bruce…he'll never go to either of us…and now this Hush guy? It seemed like a good idea at the time but now…' she thought to herself then she spoke aloud "I have to back out…I have to warn them."
(Hush's POV)
Hush returned to his old home that was foreclosed by the Bank of Gotham, his valuables were still intact but were covered in packaging materials ready for auction; but that didn't matter, Hush had his secret basement that only he knew about. As he entered he laughed darkly, the laugh reverberated on the walls as he looked at the picture of Susan Wayne he took from the file not bothering to retrieve the rest. "Such a beautiful girl Bruce…enjoy the freedom you have…because your life all of it will be mine!" he sat down in a revolving chair in his pristine clean medical office.
(Talia's POV)
Talia walked into large building that was in the prime retail of Gotham but was largely unknown in the area, she was greeted by numerous maids and butlers, all assassins in disguise. "Mistress, he's been distressed ever since you've been out." A Footman spoke.
"Of course he has, your son has missed his mother." A domineering man's voice said cradling the young child in his arms; he was dressed in a political monkey suit: his black suit was clean pressed, his trousers had seamless creases in them, his black leather boots were polished to onyx gems; his hair though grey with white streaks in his hair was neatly trimmed back and empirically styled. He passing the boy to his daughter "He's very strong Talia, a wonderful specimen. Now if you will excuse me." The Politically dressed man spoke as he left for the elevator
Talia lovingly grabbed the boy and held him softly as he nestled into her hair and neck using them as a natural pillow. "Father…" She spoke turning to face him and in turn he turned looking at his daughter without speaking "Bruce will join us. I'm certain of it…" she planted a soft kiss on her son's head "He's not one to betray family." Ra's looked at his daughter and grandson; he sighed then nodded and finally turned to the elevator once again. Entering the room she sat down with her child on her knee, this gently woke the boy and he looked at his mother with innocent eyes. She grabbed a framed picture of Bruce when he was younger and showed her child "Look…it's your dada." Talia said almost like a real mother, since her mother died when she was very young she had no real experience on how one should speak or react, but her son placed his tiny hands on the glass looking at who he was so he would smile. He yawned once again and Talia cradled him into his crib, she pulled the blankets over him and whispered with love "My perfect boy…my little Damien."
To be continued
I hope you've enjoyed reading this chapter as I have writing it.
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The next chapter coming up soon.
Additional note: The story Talia mentions: Helen and Gaenorr is a poem story of my own creation. If you want to read it, leave a review stating if you want me to add it to my stories.
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