A Quiet Night In Chapter Four, a batman fanfic

Author's note:

Just so you know, this means someone's singing

My Writers Challenge is still open; details are in the Authors Note's at the end of Chapter 3,

I also owe fbi-woman a big shout out of thanks for two things;

1, for giving me a point in the right direction in regards to Chase's engagement ring.

And 2, for creating the B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L Bruce and Chase avatar that I now have on my account page.

"Batman Forever" isn't mine.

Chase's middle name however, is, so MITS OFF.

Chapter 4

An hour later found Bruce and Chase in the hallway, heading back to the lounge room.

"You'll have to give my compliments to Alfred. That was a beautiful meal" Chase commented, linking her arm through his.

Unable to pass up the chance to be playful, Bruce teasingly replied "You already did, remember, when we first arrived in the dinning room"

"Oh, you!" Chase, good humouredly, punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Oh, you!" he mimicked with a smile.

Chase raised a golden eyebrow at Bruce's antics, whilst silently smiling to herself. Bruce ever only dropped his guard with her like this when they were in the Manor, and at times he had teased her shamelessly. But she was more than glad to have this happen because it had revealed many facets of Bruce's character to her knowledge hungry mind.

And even though she played 'Miss Innocent' around his playful antics for the most part, she was still quite able to hold her own.

"Mmm, But I wasn't the only one who enjoyed the meal, though," she countered "you looked like the cat that ate the cream when you saw what it was…" Chase paused before adding, with a cheeky smile "or should I say the bat that ate the fruit?"

Bruce burst out laughing.

"You don't miss a beat, do you Doctor?" he asked when he'd calmed down.

"I try not to" Chase replied, in all sincerity.

"Roast beef is actually my favourite meal" he said, casting a look at Chase to see how she had reacted to this revelation, and was rewarded with a look of love and thanks that he had come accustom to seeing from her whenever he revealed something to her.

"For how long?"

"Since I was a child. It was the main meal three times a week when my parents were alive"

"And after?"

Unexpectedly, Bruce closed his eyes as a brief expression of pain flittered across his face and Chase froze as he stopped walking. Had she pushed her questioning too far, she wondered.

This wasn't the first time that he had responded to her questioning about things to do with Thomas and Martha Wayne in this manner.

"I'll admit," Bruce spoke, bringing Chase from her thoughts "that… for a time I would refuse to eat if Alfred prepared it, in hopes of consoling me" Bruce opened his eyes and Chase saw the hurt that lingered in his gaze and she ached to comfort him.

Taking a step closer to him, so that she was right up against his side, Chase began to rub her hand up and down his back in a soft repetitive motion. Under normal circumstances their current position would undoubtedly ignite a passionate display of affection between them, but the only thing on Chase's mind now was consoling the man she loved.

Continuing to rub Bruce's back, Chase looked up the hallway to see how far they were from the lounge room, it would be better to sit him down and console him in there then it was out here in the middle of the hallway.

When she returned her attention to him she found Bruce following where her gaze had been moments ago, on the lounge room door a few meters away. Returning his gaze to Chase, Bruce nodded his head as he recognised what she was thinking.

Taking his hands, Chase led the way.

Once inside, she guided Bruce to the lounge and the pair sat down.

"Bruce..." she began hesitantly "Is this what your memory was about?"

"No" Bruce shook his head "I'm sorry for shutting down back there"

"It's alright" she soothed as she began to rub his back again in hopes of easing his tension.

Taking a deep breath, Bruce continued on "Like I said, I stopped eating the meal for a while. It was only after I returned to Gotham when I'd finished my martial arts training that I began to eat it again. Knowing that I would soon begin my life as a crime-fighter helped ease the pain of the memories that were linked to it to a degree, I guess"

When he finished speaking, Bruce suddenly leaned forward and kissed her. The kiss was unexpected, yes, but it was by no means unwelcome and Chase found herself responding in earnest as she did her best to quell Bruce's pain.

When the kiss ended, Chase was reluctant to move away from him.

"Thank you" Bruce stated softly as she opened her eyes to find that the pain had gone from his.

"Thank you" she responded, shifting along the seat slightly to give him a bit more room as she referred to the information that he'd shared with her.

Turning his focus to the room around him, Bruce was curious as to what Alfred had done to it whilst he and Chase had been eating to aid him on this special night.

Nothing was over the top, just a few small things here and there; red cushions on the lounges, a vase of roses, both red and white, on the table beside them, and a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket with two champagne flutes which Chase had yet to notice.

He also spied a radio on a table near by.

'Perfect' he thought with a smile as he rose from the lounge and walked over to it, leaving a bewildered Chase in his wake. But when she saw him stop at the radio and turn it on, she smiled, realising what he was doing, as a woman's voice filtered into the room.

I want to feel this way
Longer than time
I want to know your dreams
And make them mine
I want to change the world
Only for you
All the impossible
I want to do

Returning to the lounge, Bruce offered his hand to her, "Care to dance?"

Smiling her acceptance, Chase took the offered hand as she stood and followed him to a spot away from the chairs. Bruce guided her closer to him so that he could curl his arms around her waist, smiling slightly as Chase responded by resting her arms around his neck, nestling into him when she became content with her position, he rested his cheek against her hair as the couple began to slow dance.

I want to hold you close under the rain
I want to kiss your smile
And feel your pain
I know what's beautiful
Looking at you
Here in a world of lies
You are the true

Bruce had come to enjoy this type of dancing with Chase of late.

Though, whenever they'd graced the dance floor at any of the Christmas functions they'd attended recently, their slow dancing had feuled the curiosity of the many socialites attending, formostly Gossip Gerty, who would often pester Bruce about his relationship with "the lovely Doctor" the moment that they stepped off the floor.

Protective of his still growing relationship with Chase, Bruce would answer the socialites questions politely as possible, but he made a point of never giving too much information away, much to Gerty's annoyance and frustration.

Clearing his thoughts so that he could enjoy the dance, Bruce felt Chase shift her position against him, now resting her head against his chest.

And as Bruce began to listen, realy listen, to the lyrics of the song that they were dancing to, he realised that it was descirbing his life, and all the things he wanted to experience with the woman in his arms, to the letter.

And baby
Everytime you touch me
I become a hero
I'll make you safe no matter where you are
And bring you
Anything you ask for
Nothing is above me
I'm shining like a candle in the dark
When you tell me that you love me

From the moment he'd met her, Bruce had felt unexplicably drawn to Chase.

But because of all the ruckus that Nygma and Harvey had caused, he'd had very few chances to explore that connection untill the two criminals were dealt with.

As well as their luncheon dates, they had also gone outdoors on many occasions; rock-climbing, absailing, horse riding.

Anything, really, to get out of town for a few hours and enjoy each others company away from all the Gotham press' constant speculation.

They had also gone hiking in the National Park for a few days, which had been a most welcome repreive from the furious Box-hooked Gothamites for Bruce. In fact, he had kissed Chase senseless in thanks for her sujestion when they had set up camp on the first night.

Those times with Chase had kept him sane during the rough weeks that had surounded them.

I want to make you see
Just what I was
Show you the loneliness
And what it does
You walked into my life
To stop my tears
Everythings easy now
I have you here

Bruce knew, without a doubt, that Chase Meridian had become a flame of light and love in the darkness that was his life.

She had healed him and in doing so had also coaxed him to light a flame of his own revealing another path, and another dream, in life for him to follow.

And, tonight, he had every intention of showing her just how truly grateful he was to her.

'It's now or never' he thought to himself with a firm resolve.

"Chase?"

Chase stirred against him, "Yes, Bruce?" she asked as she lifted her head to look to him.

"There is actually one other reason that I asked you here tonight for"

Bruce's statement instantly stirred Chase's curiosity.

"Oh? And what reason would that be?" she queried

Carefully detangleling himself from Chase, Bruce reached into his back pocket for the blue velvet box that he'd been carrying with him the entire evening.

Cradling the box in the tips of his fingers, he revealed it to Chase as he slowly lowered himself onto one knee in front of her.

Chase let out a slight gasp as she realised what was happening.

Locking his gaze onto Chase's face, Bruce spoke, "You were right about what you said to me that night on the rooftop of the GCPD, I hadn't found the right woman… at least, not until you came to Gotham. We've been through so much together already, and I can't wait to see what the future holds in store for us. You helped me to put peace in my head with so many things; my parents death's, being Bruce Wayne and Batman, and you also guided me to see a new dream, a dream that is so much brighter than the one I had been following, to pursue"

In a world without you
I would always hunger
All I need is your love to make me stronger

Bruce opened the box, revealing the ring with-in; a large square cut stone set on top of a gold band with seven small inlaid diamonds on both sides of the center stone, to Chase's emotion filled eyes.

"You are the love of my life, and I owe so much to you for all that you've done for me. Chase Anne Meridian, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

TBC…

Songs used:

"When You Tell Me That You Love Me" by Dolly Parton

Note: I tweaked the lyrics a little so that they would sound more appropriate to the time-frame of the movie.

Author's note:

Grins evilly Don't you just love cliff-hangers?

But, somehow, I think that all the Bruce and Chase fans out there already know what Chase's answer will be, a big Y-E-S.

Also if any one wants to see what the engagement ring looks like, Yes, girls, it is real (but sadly, isn't mine), drop me a line with your e-mail address, and I'll send it to you.