One Week Later

I expected for Bruce to be pounding on my window the next evening, but considering that my knee kept me in bed for the next twenty-four hours, it was a good thing that he didn't show up. In fact, I hadn't seen any sign of the Bat for the last week.

"Should have known my luck wouldn't hold for long," I said, landing on the fire escape. "How long have you been waiting for me."

"Not long. How's the knee?" What's this? Batman making small talk! I reply cautiously.

"Fine. What do you want, and make it fast."

"Selina, we need to talk." Shoot, I was afraid he was going to say that.

"Not tonight Bruce, I'm tired," I replied as I opened my window. Bruce grabbed my arm and made me face him.

"We need to talk." Darn, he was being persistent. Now at this point I usually unsheathe my claws and start spitting, but we weren't fifty stories up where no one could see. I have neighbors and it would really be difficult to explain why Batman and Catwoman were having a spat on my fire escape. So I give in with a sigh.

"Come on in," I said, pushing my goggles up.

"What about you roommate," he asked as he followed me in.

"She'll sleep like a log as long as we're relatively quiet. Besides, Holly knows how to keep a secret." There was a long pause, you know, the awkward kind. I finally decided that Bruce was at a loss for words and therefore I needed to get the conversation started.

"Selina, about before…." Apparently we had reached that conclusion at the same time. I hate it when we do that.

"Bruce you don't trust me," I cut in, "and I'm not sure you ever will."

"Do you think that I would have told you who I was if I didn't trust you?"

"Trusting me with your identity isn't the same thing as trusting me with your heart," I replied hotly. "And while we're on the subject, get rid of that thing. I am not having this conversation with Batman." Was it just me, or did Bruce look a little sheepish. I suppressed a shiver, the sight of Batman without his mask still thrills me.

"That better?" he asked.

"No. Not really. Bruce Wayne is just as much a mask as Batman. Sometimes, I wonder if he's the real mask, not that pointy-eared cowl." I had been worrying about what I was going to say all week, now I had a distinct feeling my foot was going to end up in my mouth. Oh heck with it, I thought, it's too late to stop now. "I don't know of anyone who has seen beneath all the layers to whoever is beneath the mask. And for you to let someone get that close to you Bruce, what would you do if you lost them," I paused, hoping that what I had said would sink into that Kevlar skull of his. "I told you once that I for a loner you have a lot of strings. I won't be - I can't be - the one that trips you up." Please understand Bruce, I don't want to hurt you. I love you I—think I just said that out loud, didn't I.

"You won't hurt me," he said, closing the distance between us. "Selina, we need each other."

"I do NOT need you," I nearly shouted. He'd hit a nerve there. I fight so hard to be strong, independent, and free. And yet I know what he's saying is true, I do need him.

"That's a matter of opinion, Pussycat." If it's possible for a human's jaw to come unhinged, mine did.

"Okay, I know that this is going to sound cliché: But who are you and what have you done with Bruce Wayne." Darn you Bruce, I'm trying to resist you and you're being irresistible. His mouth twitched in that way that says: I'm too good to smile, but just so you know I find the situation humorous…

"I'm the same person who you have been talking to for the last ten minutes."

"Yeah, but where's tall, dark, and grouchy. You know, Mr. We-can-do-this-my-way-or-the-hard-way."

"Aren't you one of the many people who are always telling me to lighten up?" There he goes with the twitching thing again. Makes his cheek dimple in an irritatingly attractive way.

"Well…yes, but dammit Bruce, now is not the time to do so. This is a serious conversation," I said. I was steadily losing ground. And he was still twitching, "Would you stop that already?" Another near shout. So much for keeping it down.

"Stop what?" Oh. My. Gosh. He's playing innocent. There is definitely something wrong with him.

"The twitchy smile thing." There goes the foot. breep. There went his Batcom, saved by the bell.

"I've gotta go, but don't think you're off the hook that easily. We will finish this," he said replacing his cowl. Ah, there he is, the Bat-breath we all know and love.

"Bruce, before you go, would you think on something for me?" He nodded. "If you had to choose between saving Gotham and saving me, would you be able too?" He paused, wanting to answer my question, but Gotham needed him. His answer would have to wait for another day. Next thing I knew, he was gone. He left the fire escape with a thunk.

Wait a minute. "Thunk"? Batman doesn't thunk. Now I know what you are thinking, curiosity killed the cat. I happen to have a slightly different version. My version goes: the cat was killed by curiosity. And since I have no intention of dying such a miserable death, I went to see what the "thunk" was. There on the fire escape was package. Now if this package had been left by Scarecrow or The Joker, I would have left well enough alone, but I was pretty sure that the noise I heard was Bruce dropping this as he left. Question was, did he leave on purpose or by accident? Only one way to find out. No sooner did I have it in my hands than I realized that it was gift. Holy cow, were we that close to Christmas already? I spent ten minutes looking for my calendar, which, when I finally found it, revealed that I had less than a week to go. So now Batman's giving me Christmas presents. Which would be great, except what did he expect in return.

S,

Thought you might be able to use this after the other night. No strings attached.

-B

Okay, so no strings attached, that's good. Probably was just doing his good deed for the night. Uh-huh, I believe that. Buttering me up is more like it. But then again, I was never one to look a gift cat in the mouth. Next question, would he mind if I didn't wait until Christmas. Oh heck with it, since when did I care what that flying rat thinks.

I have never really thought of Bruce as thoughtful person. I mean the guy spends his nights beating the tar out of thugs and maniacs. Not exactly a touchy-feely guy, if you know what I mean. However, if giving someone a fleece-lined, heat-retaining cat suit for Christmas isn't thoughtful, I don't know what is.

* * *

Later That Morning

Briiiinnnggg. Brrriiiinggg.... Whu-…. Briiiinnnggg. Brrriiiinggg…. Oh. Telephone…. Briiiinnnggg. Brrrii-…. Holly must've answered it. Good, means I can go back to sleep.

"Selina!" Holly shouted loud enough to wake the dead. "Phone's for you!" Unh, so much for going back to sleep. Without opening my eyes I fumbled around for the phone by my bed.

"Hello, this is Selina," I mumbled. "Oh, Leslie, do you know what time it is? Thought I told you not to call me before eleven."

.: Yes Selina, I know what time it is. Perhaps you should be asking yourself that question :.

I pushed myself up so I'd be able to see the clock. 11:36 glared at me accusingly.

"Oh," I groaned. I would welcome the "holiday break" that would start in the next few days. "My mistake. What did you need, you're not having trouble at the clinic?"

.: No, actually. But I was wondering if you wanted to go to the hospital's charity dinner with me :.

"The one on Christmas Eve at Wayne Manor?" After last night's…. discussion the last thing I wanted was to go to a party at his house, but this was Leslie asking. Besides, I didn't want to have to retell my latest spat with the Bat to anyone just yet.

"What should I wear?"

.: Oh please Selina, I know you have something you can throw on :.

"The question was rhetorical, Leslie," I yawned into the phone. "I'll call you for details later, when I'll actually be able to remember them." There was a click and I put the phone back in the cradle. I contemplated getting up, decided against it, and returned to the world of the unconscious.

And here is the next blasphemous chapter. Sigh, editing this I realized that a lot of Bruce comes from the bright, campy, shark repellant, "Holy secret identity!", old-school Batman (The Animated series, anyone? Where Selina's *snicker* blonde). This I think is the worst one, from here on out the characterization improves slightly-and is not quite as laughable. This probably would've been better if I'd have written it in third person, Selina's thoughts read too much like a high school/college girl.

Shout outs:

SingingBetty- Thanks for the review. I'm glad you're looking forward to the rest of this.

Starclipper01- Thank you for the feedback. My friend said the same thing about Bruce being talky, that's my biggest problem. I think that's mostly because of the way I wrote his dialogue. They write him quite abit of dialogue in the comics, but it's always delivered in such a way that it feels monosyllabic (it also depends on which title your reading, if you know what I mean). I think my problem is that I didn't make him brusk enough when I first wrote this, and I'm too lazy go back and figure out how to make him say what I need him to say in a more Batmode-like way. ;D Sigh, poor Bruce, I think he's the most mangled character in this whole thing.