Nota Bene: This story is not canon. I don't follow the comics and only know the various stories from the movies and growing up with Batman cartoons, supplemented with internet research. As with my previous stories, this started with a dream and is combined with ramblings of my own mind. In this case, it is a little personal fantasy, too. Batman. Mmm. Hot.

Reviews, as always, are greatly appreciated.

Batman: Revelations

Chapter Three

It had been a long night. There had been a particularly vicious gang battle. The new crime lord, Dominic Carlini, was putting his stamp on this part of town, trying to prove his dominance. Batman jumped into the melee as quickly as he could, prioritizing the safety of the residents of the neighborhood over waiting for the GCPD officers he knew were on their way. In the chaos, he had been shot twice in the vest, and a well-placed knife had been lodged in his flesh at the junction of his shoulder where the kevlar vest ended and advanced armor of his shoulder guard began.

By the end, the gang members had all been arrested or fled. The GCPD was hot on the trail of those who had escaped. For a while, he stood with Commissioner Gordon, briefing him all he had learned about Carlini's organization. Before departing, Jim shook his hand, and thanked Batman once again for his service to the city.

He was in no mood for pleasantries, and growled a response as Jim walked away.

Batman's job was done for tonight. He was bleeding and sore, and bone-tired. He needed to return to the Batcave for Alfred to stitch him up and wrap his ribs and needed about 10 hours of sleep.

Just then, he spotted Catwoman above him, jumping between the rooftops. What was she up to this time, he wondered. He knew he should go confiscate whatever it was she had stolen, but he was in no shape to fight with her, too. He started to press the button calling the Batmobile, but stopped. He hadn't seen her in nearly a week. Before he knew it, he was headed in her direction. Moving smoothly despite his injuries, Batman swung up to the nearest roof.

Catwoman smiled when she heard the grappling gun. How had he already found her? She hadn't been in this part of town more than 60 seconds. She was merely passing through on her way to the financial district. This was a bad part of town for most women to linger in at this hour, but it would cut time off her route. She was on her way to liberate some extra cash from the offices of a corrupt businessman and didn't feel like taking the long way around. Besides, she could handle herself.

She hadn't been particularly excited by this heist, it was too easy, but knew it was a quick way to get some cash. The Gotham animal shelter was in need of major renovations and was struggling to raise the money needed. If the shelter couldn't come up with the funds, they were going to run out of space and would need to change their status from that as a no-kill shelter. She shuddered at the thought. However, she was suddenly very glad she had ventured out tonight. She hadn't seen Batman yet this week and had missed him.

He landed, holstered his grappling gun, and let his cape fall around him. Catwoman was ready and waiting with a saucy greeting. "Hey there, Stud. Come to play?"

When he merely raised his head and started to walk towards her, she stilled. Something was wrong. He was moving slowly. She could sense his weariness.

Instead of jumping into a fight, or rather into a situation where she knew she'd be able to steal some steamy kisses between punches and kicks, she approached slowly. She immediately spotted the blood seeping from his shoulder.

"Oh, Bats, you're hurt." She rushed to his side, pulling a cloth out of her own utility belt and pressed it to his wound. That's when she saw the bullets lodged in his chest plate. "Oh, god. What happened to you?"

"Don't, Catwoman." He pulled away. "This was a mistake." He turned to walk away.

"Dammit, Batman. Let me take a look at that shoulder," she snapped, grabbing his uninjured arm and pulling him back to her. Catwoman's normally seductive tone was sharp and forceful. She pulled the material aside and hissed. "This is going to need stitches." When he started to pull away again, her voice softened. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Looking at her face, he relented. She cleaned the wound as gently as she could. As he stood there, the adrenaline from the fight was wearing off, and he started to waver, just a little shaky.

If she hadn't been so close, she never would have spotted it. Stabbed, shot, and hell knows what else, and he was still on his feet, chasing criminals - her. "Sit down, you stubborn ox."

For reasons he couldn't fully explain to himself, he allowed her to pull him down to the rooftop. Their backs were against a wall, side by side. Catwoman scooted closer, her side flush to his, and put her hand on his thigh. There was a companionable silence between them.

After a few minutes, the shaking stopped. She felt it the minute he started to relax. "You know, you should have gone —wherever it is that you go — and gotten fixed up. You're going to need stitches, and based on the placement of one of those bullets, I'm guessing you have a cracked rib or two, despite that armor you have."

He remained silent, save an unintelligible grunt.

"I haven't even stolen anything tonight. Yet," she winked at him, expecting that gravely voice to tell her he would stop her.

When he said nothing, she turned to him and placed a hand on his cheek. "If you go on home, I even promise to be good." Her lips met his softly for a brief kiss. "You need to take care of yourself, you know. What would I do if I something happened to you?" She surprised herself at the sentiment, and quickly covered up the rare moment of softness with another quip.

"Being Catwoman just wouldn't be any fun if I didn't have Batman to chase me." She couldn't believe she had admitted that to him. But it was the truth. She had money now. She only kept on being Catwoman because of the rush, the chance to continue to push herself and test her skill. And for Batman.

She craved him. Needed him. Needed someone to banter with, to spar, and she could only go so long without feeling his body against hers, even if they hadn't yet fully consummated their attraction.

He turned to look at her, surprised at her words. For more than the first time, he wished he could really see her eyes. The goggles kept them obscured.

"I'm so tired," he finally said. "When will it all end? The violence. It never stops."

Catwoman suddenly felt very guilty. How much of the pain he was feeling right now had been caused by her, and others like her? How much did their petty thrills from heists add to the toll taken on him?

Batman knew this time had been coming for a while. There had been a huge uptick in violent crimes over the past month since Carlini had moved in and and began establishing his territory. He was operating on 2-3 hours of sleep a night over four weeks. Combined with the physical exertion of patrols and battles, his mind and body were breaking down.

With Nightwing now in Bludhaven and following Jason's death, he was once again on his own, and it was wearing on him. His heart ached for Jason and he was still coming to terms with the loss. It had affected him more than he realized.

"Robin…he…" Batman trailed off. He couldn't finish the sentence.

Catwoman knew he was hurting. She knew that Joker had killed Robin just two months before. Her chest felt tight and there was a lump in her throat. She felt for him.

"I'm sorry, Bats. I'm so sorry," she said, her voice quiet.

She reached for his hand, and their fingers interlaced. She had never seen him like this. His breathing was heavy, as if he was taking deep breaths to control himself.

Finally, Batman sat up and turned to her. He reached out and slowly pulled the goggles off, his hands cupping her face. A tear slipped down her her cheek and he brushed it away with his thumb.

Green. Her eyes were green. He pulled her to him into a tight embrace. Catwoman tucked her arms under his cape against his body. She slowly ran a hand up and down his back in an effort to give comfort.

This strong, brave, dedicated man who gave so much to this city was hurting. They had never discussed their relationship, but there was something there. It wasn't all flashes of heat and desperate kisses. She genuinely like him, enjoyed his company. She was pretty sure he liked her, as well. She wasn't sure when it happened, but she cared about him.

She wanted desperately to take away his pain, but she knew that was impossible. He had lost a friend, a colleague. Was Robin his son? She didn't know, but the idea struck her hard. She couldn't imagine losing a child.

Batman held her close and breathed her in. The feeling of her in his arms felt so right as he battled the demons in his mind.

"I failed him. I let him die." There was anguish in his voice.

"No, you didn't. Don't you believe that for one moment. The Joker is responsible for his death. No one else. You did everything you could."

"What is it even worth? They kill. We fight. I lock them away. And they just escape again, or someone else arrives to take their place."

"It matters, Batman. It matters to every single person you've saved. It matters to their family. As long as you are here, this city at least has hope." Tears continued to fall down her face as they embraced.

The moment was brief, but raw. He soon stood and she knew he was leaving.

She kissed him softly once again and watched him walk to the edge of the building, grappling hook at the ready.

"Until next time, Catwoman," he growled.

"See you later, Stud." Her saucy tone was back, but her heart wasn't really in to it.

She turned and went back the way she came. There would be no heist tonight.