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.

This story has taken me far, far too long to finish. I loved the idea too much to force it, though, and only wrote when I could focus and feel the characters. I relieved to finally finish and get this idea that's been plaguing me out of my system. Since this has been a bit of a labor of love, I really would greatly appreciate any reviews you may be considering posting :)

Chapter 14

Finally, it was over. Nightwing was resting comfortably at the manor. Only one bullet had pierced his armor, and it had luckily not hit any major organs. He had suffered three broken ribs and a concussion, needed ten stitches from the bullet removal, but he would be find.

Batman and Catwoman sat on a building ledge overlooking a park, right as dawn broke. The simple beauty of the violet hues peeking over the treeline greatly impacted the exhausted pair. They were still unsure of where things were going to go for the both of them and were reeling from the death of the Joker. But tt was a new day, for them and for Gotham.

Selina pulled off her mask, took his hand, and removed his glove. He shivered when she pressed a kiss to his palm. She brought his hand up to her cheek and held it tight to her. "Can this continue, Bruce? Can this partnership last?" Selina searched his face, longing to find acceptance there. "I know I'm not an angel, but I want to help. I want to be right here with you."

"Selina," he started. Bruce was overwhelmed and struggled to put any of the emotions churning through him into words, so he settled for simply pulling her closer. "What you did for me. I never…."

"Sssh," she whispered. "It's over now. I just…I couldn't let him hurt you any more. I know what it does to you every time he kills. Every time he attacked the city."

"But Selina, the system. We can't just kill everyone who..."

She cut him off. "This was different. He wasn't just attacking the city, he was attacking you. He killed Todd to get to you. He engineered a plan to use the pain of your lost son to drive you insane. Dick almost died. He would have killed me just to hurt you, too. I couldn't let him do that to you. But I couldn't let you kill him. Not you, I needed to protect you."

"I love you, Bruce."

This time, there was no hesitation. Bruce crushed her to him and devoured her mouth with a kiss. It was absolute possession, his passion barely contained. "I love you, too, Selina. I have for so long. Let's go home."

The Batmobile careened through the streets of Gotham and shot into the Batcave. The speed at which the car screeched inside worried Alfred, who had already been made aware of Dick's injuries. He quickly descended the stairs, readying to once again tend to what he assumed were severe injuries Bruce had sustained. Upon seeing the figure in black leather step out of the car, and Batman pull her to him for a kiss, however, Alfred hastily retreated back up into the manor.

In a second, Batman had her pressed up against the side of the car. Hands desperately roved her body. Her legs wrapped around him. They can't get close enough. He struggled to unzip her suit, while her hands fumbled at his. In their haste, their movements were jerky, uneven. "Bruce, how do you get this thing off? I have to feel you. Now."

He pulled away and tore the cape and cowl off. His blue eyes meet hers and held steady as he flung his gloves away and stripped off his chest plate. Next, the the shoulder and arm armor were tossed aside, then the leg guards, leaving only the base layer. Selina reached over and pulled it over his head. Bruce practically ripped the suit from her body, finally baring her body to his hungry gaze.

Then they were pressed against each other again, this time skin to skin, no suits or masks to protect them. Finally. How long had they waited for this. His body was so hard, muscles rippling beneath his skin as he kissed his way down her body. His hands were on her breasts, followed by his mouth. She moaned as he suckled one nipple as he fondled the other breast. He bit her ever so slightly, and she gasped. "Oh god, Bruce."

He picked her up and put her down on the hood of the car, pressed between her thighs. Her back arched as she laid back, their mouths slanted over each other, again and again. His tongue was hot in her mouth. When he drew her bottom lip into his mouth and grazed it with his teeth, she moaned again. She struggled to sit up, just enough, and reached down to grab his ass,pulling him to her. "Now, Bruce, please."

He entered her forcefully, in one thrust. He struggled not to come then and there. He pumped his hips in measured strokes. Their mouths were fused together, her arms around his neck, holding him close. His hands clutched her lower back.

Selina couldn't believe it. They were finally here. It felt so right. He made her burn, she had never felt anything like this before. When she just couldn't take it any more, she broke their kiss and laid back. She met his thrusts, urging him faster and faster, while they spiraled higher and higher. She opened her eyes and watched him move. The sight of his body, covered in the scars that chronicled his heroic efforts, pumping in to her again and again was the most beautiful and erotic thing she had ever seen. Their eyes met green fire to blazing blue ice. And just like that, they exploded together, powerful orgasms rocking them. Their cries intermingled and echoed off the walls of the Batcave.

He collapsed on top her her. His chest was heaving, struggling to catch his breath. He kissed her neck, her breasts, her mouth.

Selina laughed. "See, I always knew you were a stud."

Bruce pulled back and looked at her, smiling. "I'll show you how much of a stud I am." He swept her up in his arms and carried her towards the stairs. "Bruce! We're naked! What if Alfred sees us?"

Placing a quick. loud kiss on her lips, he continued walking. "Selina, this cave is not sound proof. By now, Alfred is well aware to stay in his rooms, lest he see something he'd care not to." Selina laughed, joy exploding from her very soul.

When they reached his bedroom, he kicked the door closed with his foot, and threw her unceremoniously on the bed, laughing as he followed her down.

She rolled over and crawled towards the pillows. "Ah, I see, ready again?" He came up behind her and covered her body with his, nipping at her neck and kissing the back of her neck. She giggled and pulled the covers back, nestling under them and pulling him close.

His voice was deeper than she remembered. She liked it. It wasn't quite Batman's gravely rumble, but deeper than the Bruce she knew. She had been right. The true man had been somewhere in between. She had never seen him this way. There was true joy on his features. She wanted him to always be this happy.

They both lay on their sides, watching each other. He had propped himself up on his elbow, she had her head on the pillow, one arm tucked underneath. She snuggled closer, and grazed her other hand up and down along his hip. How she loved this man.

Selina held no illusions that their life would be easy. They would love and hold each other close. They would fight and bicker like every couple. He would have hard days, when he struggled with the darkness and the pain. There would be nights when she feared for his life, when she would have to watch him bleed in his never-ending quest. But they would have each other.

Bruce was content, happy. Everything felt right. He had finally found her, a woman to be a true partner. Someone to fight by his side, someone he could hold onto in the dark hours of the morning, someone who accepted him as both Bruce and Batman. She understood.

"I love you, Selina." He pulled her into him and kissed her softly. Whereas they had been rough, consumed by years of repressed lust the first time, the second was slow and loving. And when he entered her this time, they both knew it felt like home.

When the light peeking through the blinds woke Bruce up hours later, he was pleased to find her still in his arms, her back pressed to his front. His arm was around her and their hands were interlaced. She had tucked her feet between his legs.

She didn't stir when he slowly climbed out of bed and pressed a kiss to her temple. Bruce pulled on his robe and headed downstairs, intending to let her sleep while he made coffee.

"Good afternoon, Master Bruce." Alfred greeted him in the kitchen, just placing a carafe of french press on a tray with two cups, some pastries and fruit. Bruce smiled, of course Alfred was prepared. "Master Dick is also upstairs, recuperating in his old quarters." He wasn't sure if Bruce would want to talk about it, but he needed to know. "From what I read in the paper, I take it that you the situation was resolved last night?"

Bruce pulled Alfred into an uncharacteristic hug. He hadn't done that since he was a boy. Alfred broke with his normally stoic manner and squeezed Bruce tight.

"It's over, Alfred. Joker is dead."

"Master Bruce, did you…" Alfred hesitated.

"No." Bruce shook his head. "Catwoman. He was going to kill her to get to me. Before I could even step in, he was dead. She did it for me and for Robin. Selina did it. So he couldn't hurt me." Alfred smiled.

Bruce filled Alfred in on the events of the previous evening, told him about the plot by the Joker to break his mind and drive him insane. How Selina had stopped him from killing the Joker, and had ended up doing it herself when the Joker attempted one last murder to push him over the edge. That he was in love with her.

Alfred was so glad that Selina had protected Bruce. He had been so worried about his surrogate son and had feared what would happen if he ever crossed that line. Bless her for taking that decision from him.

"I take it that Miss Selina will be staying for a while, Master Bruce?"

"Forever, if I can keep her, Alfred." Bruce beamed.

"Excellent, Master Bruce. She makes you happy. She'll be a great addition to the family."

With that, Bruce picked up the tray and headed back upstairs.

Bruce found her awake, propped up on the pillows, with the blankets pulled up covering her chest. He leaned down and kissed her before putting the tray on the nightstand, then dropped the robe and climbed into bed next to her. Selina immediately snuggled up to him, then reached over to grab a chocolate croissant off the tray. "Good morning, love," she said, grinning as she popped a bit of pastry into her mouth.

"You look like the cat that ate the canary." He stole a quick peck of her lips.

"I'm the cat who caught the bat," she replied, and kissed him soundly. Her soft lips tasted like chocolate.

He poured them both coffee, and they looked at the sun shining through the windows, watching the birds land in the trees outside and chirp as she finished her croissant.

When had he ever been his content? He brushed a piece of hair from her face and looked down at her.

"I told Alfred, Selina."

That made her pause. "What exactly did you tell him?"

"That things were over with the Joker. Robin — Jason was his name — is avenged. I told him that you kept me from killing the Joker. That you protected me."

"How did he take it?"

"With the usual aplomb of Alfred, of course. He likes you, Selina. He thinks you're good for me."

Sitting up and kissing her softly, he continued. "I told him I loved you. That I wanted you to stay. Forever."

"Forever, Bruce?" He kissed her again and reached across her body for the other nightstand. He opened the drawer, expecting to find the velvet box, but it was gone. Panicked, he pulled himself over her body and dug around.

He stopped when he heard her laughter, her shoulders shaking with mirth. She pulled him back, flipped him over, and climbed on top of him. She straddled him as her eyes danced and she leaned down for a kiss.

"Yes," she purred, linking their hands. He felt the ring already on her finger. "You didn't think Catwoman would miss a shiny piece of jewelry around, did you?" She laughed and kissed him again.

"You thief," he growled and flipped her over, pressing her to the mattress with her hands pinned above her head. "Going back to your criminal ways already? I'm going to need to arrest you for that."

"Ohhh, where are those handcuffs, Stud? Kinky." Her laugh quickly turned into a moan as ground his hips against her.

Now that both of their true selves had been revealed, life was never going to be the same.