Eva sat back in her chair. It was nearing noon and she was hungry. She picked up the unopened file folder Bruce had sent to her via Alfred and put it in the top drawer of her desk. Whatever was inside could wait until she came back from her lunch break. Aaron had not called her back and she thought that was probably for the best. She had to collect her thoughts and figure out what she was going to say, regardless of how appealing the idea of shoving the bracelet in his face and running away may seem. She was mystified by Bruce as well. He was taking a day off for personal appointments when he had a big presentation for the board members due in less than a week. Eva was behind in typing out the reports. She felt like calling him, but thought better of it. Instead, she walked her way to the elevator and rode down to the main lobby, deciding to try the horrific food that was supposedly culminated by the restaurant in Wayne Tower. She would figure out what to do.

When Eva returned to the office, she saw that the message light on the phone was blinking. She settled back into the comfortable rolling chair and listened to the messages. Three were from Heidi and one was from Bruce. She deleted Heidi's messages and dialed her boss' number.

"Eva?" Bruce's smooth greeting tingled in her ear.

"Mr. Wayne?" She could sense his silent reprisal over the phone and she smirked at that.

"I need you to send the preliminary reports of the military AEDs you gave me a few days ago."

"Of course, I'll have a Currier get them. Where am I sending them to? Wayne Manor?"

"No, I'm here at Ashmore Industries. I've been in some business proposals this morning with Aaron Adams-you remember him right?"

Eva ignored his baiting remark and cleared her throat. "I'll have them sent right over. Or, if you prefer, I could deliver them myself." Asshole

"Oh no. That's not necessary, just have the Currier send them over. I should be in the office this afternoon to brief you on the proposals."

Then the line went dead. So he was with Aaron all morning. Interesting. That explains why Aaron didn't call her back. Eva sent for the Currier and ran into Bruce's office to find the preliminary reports. Upon finding them, she went to the copier and copied them, keeping the originals for the office and slipped the copies into a fresh manilla envelope. The Currier arrived and she sent them on their merry way.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So you see, Bruce, selling me the mock ups for the AEDs could and will end up benefiting you as well as me."

Bruce Wayne smirked at the man sitting in front of him. Aaron Adams. A regular snake of a man. He despised this little weasel. Not only for Aaron's appraisal of Eva, but for reasons other than the superficial. Aaron Adams was a shady man. Everyone had a different version of the "facts" of his life, none of which were facts, Bruce was sure. He wasn't sure what was behind Aaron, but whatever it was, it wasn't good. Years ago, at a charity ball, Bruce had the misfortune of having a few minutes alone with him. Bruce asked a base question, Where are you from?, not having been aware who his parents were. Aaron introduced himself, told him he was educated in Switzerland and attended University of Glasgow, so it stood to reason why Bruce has never heard of him. The next day, Bruce checked out the story and could find no record of Aaron ever being educated in Switzerland or of him attending Glasgow. Bruce asked around and everyone seemed to have a different story attached to their knowledge of Adams. He was hiding something, and whatever it was, it was big.

"Well, hopefully we can come to an agreement. I do encourage entrepreneurship, of course, but I'm a business man Adams. I'll take a few days to look the proposal over and give it some thought. I'll get back to you by the end of the week." Bruce stood up.

"Of course, take your time." Aaron stood up as well. The two men shook hands and Bruce straightened out his jacket. "Good to see you Bruce. Be sure to tell your secretary hello for me."

Bruce chuckled. "I'll leave that to you," he said as he was walking out. "I don't mix business with pleasure."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was five o'clock before Bruce got to his office. Eva was sitting at the desk, typing away at the computer. Bruce smile at her.

"I was just starting the report," she said.

"Come into my office." Eva grabbed her notepad and made her way into Bruce's office. "So Aaron is looking to buy the mock ups for those AEDs. He claims his company is trying to make a comeback."

She looked at him skeptically. "Would that be wise?" she asked. "For you, I mean."

"Ashmore Industries will never be what Wayne Enterprises is. They are small in scale and would never be able reach the clientele we've gained. What my concerns are don't include a downfall for my company." Eva nodded for Bruce to continue. "It's his selling the AEDs I'm concerned with. I work with the US Government exclusively. I don't sell to the highest bidder. That's how I've kept my company so clean. I'm not so certain Aaron has made that same decisions regarding his businesses."

"What you're saying is, you want to make sure he doesn't sell them to the US' enemies."

Bruce nodded. "Being a shrewd business man isn't about idealism, its about making money. I have the money to be idealistic-"

"-but Aaron doesn't?"

"That's what I intend to find out."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Eva figured Aaron would have been too busy to have dinner with her that evening. So when he called her and her asked to dine with him, she was surprised. It was another very expensive restaurant and Eva felt out of place.

"I hear you're moving into an apartment," Aaron said.

"Yes, finally. It feels good to not be a burden to my parents."

"Where are you moving to?"

Eva sipped her wine, then set the glass down. "Embassy Hall. There was a nice townhouse available. Bruce is renting it to me cheap until I can get something more stable. For work, I mean."

Aaron looked across the table at her, showing no emotion. "So Bruce Wayne is helping you?" He asked with a baseless tone. Eva answered with a simple nod in the affirmative. There was something in his tone that chilled her. She wasn't sure if it was because of him or because others were so leery of him. "You aren't wearing your bracelet."

This was the topic Eva was avoiding, but she was thankful that he was the one to bring it up. "About that actually," she wrinkled her brow and looked down. She opened her mouth to speak, but Aaron broke in.

"You don't like it?"

Eva was quick to counter him. "No! No, it isn't that at all. The bracelet is absolutely beautiful. I just can't accept it."

Aaron laughed. He laughed. "Why not?"

"I've only just started to see you. It wouldn't be right," she said gently. "I appreciate it, though."

"Ah, I see," he said. "It's because you are worried about what others will think." Aaron seemed to ponder this notion for a few long seconds before speaking again. "Well, you are absolutely beautiful and should be showered with gifts like that everyday. If it's them you are worried about, Eva, don't. Gotham citizens have always had a special place in their hearts for creating stories about people that aren't true. Take the bracelet as a token of my appreciation of you."

Eva smiled nervously. How could she tell him that she just didn't want it? It didn't suit her. Where in the hell would she ever wear something like that? But she never got the chance to form the words. Her thoughts were brutally interrupted by screaming and the thunderous sound of gunshots.