Chp 4- Things that matter

**Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! This is one of those 'filler' chapters, BUT it has some good stuff in it! Hopefully it ties some things together. :) I hope you all like! And I'm super excited to write the next chapter! :D Disclaimer: There are none! lol I own nothing except mister butt head Bobby Highland.

The next day was a little rough for Selina Kyle. She was sore. There were bruises on top of bruises, bones were broken and the whole thing seemed impossible for her to grasp mentally. How could she have let someone get the better of her like that? How could she let a man get the better of her like that? This idea infuriated her. The evening before had been a blur after she blacked out. She was sure that there were lots of people surrounding her at one point, which meant she was taken to a hospital. Holly must have taken her home as well; she had no family or friends to call on except Holly.

Noise from the kitchen meant that Holly was okay. Selina could smell bacon. What time is it? She thought. It read nine o'clock in the morning.

"Holly? What happened last night?" Selina needed answers. Holly walked in with a plate of eggs, bacon and some toast on a platter. Selina sat up as best as she could.

"Glad to see you're not dead." Holly smirked.

"Thanks…" Selina took a big bite of egg and bacon. She was famished. "So, what happened?"

Holly sat down next to Selina on the bed and took a deep breath. "Well, I came home around five and everything was dark. I flipped on the living room light and a man was standing there. I recognized him from a party Bobby and I went too. He asked me who tried to kill Bobby, and I told him I didn't know." She started sniffling but continued. "He kept asking me over and over again, and I kept telling him I didn't know. Then he asked if I lived with anyone, and I denied it again. He attacked me and I ran, Selina. I tried running out the fire escape but he caught me and then everything went black. I didn't know he would be waiting for you too." Holly managed to keep it together to finish explaining what happened.

Selina felt horrible inside. It was clear that not just Batman and the police were aware of what happened that night. Holly had more to say, so Selina listened.

"They took us to this apartment like building, but no one lived there. I was awake when the other guy was interrogating you. I don't know why they didn't do anything else to me, and I don't know why you were the one to be nearly beaten to death. I promise I didn't say who it was that night. I promise." She needed Selina to know that she didn't rat her out. "Then, out of nowhere comes Batman. He untied my ropes and then he helped you, Selina. I'm pretty sure he's the one who made sure the police came as well. But, Selina?"

"Yes?" She had just been sitting there. Her appetite gone.

"It was like he wanted you to be okay… like he knew you."

"Well of course he wanted me to be breathing! To him, saving civilians is like pegs on a bedpost." She couldn't believe that the Batman cared about her; and he couldn't have recognized her! The combined mask and eyewear she made, made her non-recognizable.

"I'm so glad he got there, Selina. I don't know what would have happened." With that, Holly got up and went to her room. "I need to lie down a little bit." The doctors last night said you have a few broken ribs and that you need to stay in bed. If you need anything just yell."

Once again, the whole thing seemed like a bad nightmare. Selina was certain that whoever attacked her would attack again, but next time she would be ready.

~Wayne Manor~

Alfred walked up the stairs to Bruce's room to bring his usual meal; only Bruce wasn't there. The only other place he would be was the cave. Alfred pushed a few piano keys and a door opened. He followed the winding staircase down, holding the tray.

"Another late night again, sir?"

"Yes, but I think I'm one step closer to figuring out who Highland was working for."

"Do explain, sir." Alfred put the tray on the desk Bruce was working on. Compute screens and gadgets were all about; different names and faces were being examined.

"The blonde is Holly Robinson." He pointed to a pretty blonde girl. "She told me her name last night in the commotion. She also told me where she lived." Bruce chuckled a little bit.

"Well, why did you need her address sir?"

"Because if she is a target then whoever didn't get the answers they wanted out of her… They will be back. I put a small tracking device on her jacket.

"Always looking out for the civilians, Master Bruce." He stood beside him, pondering what his next move was. "What do you intend to do, sir?"

"Well, Ms Robinson's room mate is also involved. I wasn't able to get her name out of Holly. However, judging by the look of the beating, I would say the guys wanted her more than the blonde. I used the voice enhancer to hear what was going on inside before I entered. The other woman was screaming at the thug, and she got a name out of him, Alfred." Bruce smiled again. "She was quite demanding. Richie Vasquez was the person who ordered this whole operation." Bruce dragged a few windows over until a very unhappy looking man was on the screen infront of them both.

"Sounds like you have some more digging to do. He is a wanted criminal…"Alfred peered down the list of things he was convicted for. One of them mentioned Falcone's name. "You've had a run in with this lot before." Bruce nodded.

"Yes, I have but it wasn't this…. Tangled." He put his hand up to his mouth. "I'll keep a look out at night. The apartment where Holly and her roommate live isn't far from where the abandoned building was."

"It's probably good they have a protector, sir." Alfred smirked again and started walking back up the stairs.

Bruce spent the next several hours gathering information about Holly Robinson and her roommate. Finally, a name appeared. Selina Kyle; countless accounts of theft and assault, usually on men. She wasn't exactly the perfect little housewife. Batman would need to watch her carefully… Bruce had a feeling she would be in his radar again.

The next few days got easier and easier for Selina. She swore she had nine lives. Her bruises lessened and the spot where she was stabbed was starting to heal; gradually. She hadn't been doing any late night calls but she sure as hell wanted too. It made her angry that she couldn't act revenge on the people that did this to her.

One thing that did keep her mind busy was her new job. Although she was in pain, she was great at hiding it. She had started her desk job at the museum and liked it for the most part. There was an event that evening and she was invited, naturally because she was the desk girl. This made her smile a brief moment. She shuffled her way into a little black dress. The dressings on her wound weren't noticeable and she was able to cover the bruises on her neck with makeup. Other than those issues, Selina Kyle was ready for the ball. Holly was her 'plus one' and was also very excited to attend such a grand event.

"Do you even know who this evening is for, Selina?" Holly bellowed from her room.

"Wayne? Or something…? Does it matter? Finally, a night that we can say is for us." She didn't have to don the black suit and hunt anything down, and it seemed that whoever was after them had stopped trying. Selina and Holly needed a night out.

"Just make sure you don't do anything that opens up that wound, Selina. The doctors told me that if it opens… well, it won't be good." Holly walked into Selina's room. She wore a short sapphire blue dress. It had a silver pin on the side where one side draped over the other. She looked beautiful, as if nothing had tainted her. Selina wanted to make sure that Holly stayed safe. It was her duty.

"Please, Holly." Selina had her charm back as well and glided over to her friend. "Tonight will be wonderful. Enjoy yourself, and dance with someone handsome." They both grabbed their purses and called a taxi.