A little bit of Todd in this chapter just to let you guys know.
December came quickly in Gotham and soon it was only a few days till Christmas. Emma and Misty had finally decided they should at least start thinking of some ideas as to what Emma's wedding would be like and Emma's work on Wayne Manor was coming along nicely. The weather had actually gotten colder than usual for Gotham.
"It's bloody freezing out and I'm a Brit so that's really saying something." Said Misty as Emma and her rushed into the apartment.
"I know! It's also starting to snow it hardly ever snows this much here." Said Emma running over to the heater to turn it on.
"Well at least we got all the Christmas presents right?" Said Misty setting down all the shopping bags. "Tell me again why we got Charlie a lawn chair?"
"I have not idea he keeps harping about it. I have no idea what is wrong with the chairs down at MCU but it's Charlie so…" Said Emma with a shrug.
"You know you still never told me what you got the man who has everything." Said Misty going into the kitchen to make some tea.
"I actually found this book in the store I thought it was amusing. It's sort of a joke it's on a conspiracy theory that Bruce Wayne is Batman it's list a few other possible suspect but I just thought it was funny."
"They have a book on that?"
"Yeah I was talking to the guy at the book store he made the book and only has like twenty copies of it but he's trying to sell as many as they can before someone shuts him down, so it's a collector's item if you really think about it."
"Yes could you imagine though Bruce Wayne billionaire by day Batman by night? It's a hoot really." Said Misty with a laugh.
"It would be pretty strange." Said Emma flipping through the book. She shook her head it was after all improbable that Bruce would spend his time doing something like that right? Misty said something that took her away from pondering the notion further.
"Hey don't you have like a Christmas Party to go to tonight?"
"Yes, I was trying to forget about it, but I have to go I told Mrs. Henderson I would go and she was a client of mine so…"
"Hey do you think you can drop me off at Charlie's on the way their some of us actually like to have fun rather than put ourselves through such torture." Said Misty rolling her eyes at her friend.
"Sometimes the parties I go to can be sort of fun, for brief moments, Bruce…"
"Of course Bruce would make it better that man lightens your day love." Said Misty with a smirk.
"He's very enjoyable to be around and he's a good friend." Said Emma defensively.
"Bet he's not bad to snog either." Mumbled Misty and Emma threw pillow from the couch at her.
"I've already told you we're not talking about the Thanksmas fiasco again." Said Emma rolling her eyes.
"Okay but you never answered my question when I asked awhile back, we he at least a good snog."
"I'm getting married to Todd in less than five months Misty!" Said Emma turning slightly red like she always did whenever anyone mentioned Thanksmas.
"All you have to do is say yes or no. I promise I won't ask you for detail unless you are completely smashed." Said Misty with a shrug.
"Fine yes he was. And as you put it I haven't been 'smashed' since you came to visit five years ago and I don't plan to be that drunk anytime soon." Said Emma heading into her bedroom to get changed for the party.
"That's what the bachelorette party is for dearie!" Called Misty after her.
"Hey Misty that reminds me when you took the car a few nights ago did you put gas in it?"
"No. It's bad enough that I have to try to drive on the wrong side of the road and car just be lucky I didn't crash the damn thing."
"Right well I suppose we can take a cab." Said Emma picking out a nice green evening gown and shoes to match it.
8888
When she arrived at the party which was at Mrs. Hennson's rather nice mansion just outside of Gotham City limits, it was your usually Gotham elite sort of party.
People said hello to her and complemented her taste in design regarding some of the rooms in the house.
"Ms. Carpenter." Said a familiar voice she almost did not recognize because he didn't call her Emma. She turned to face the person who had called her. It was of course Bruce his usual fake smile he wore at any of these events and he was surrounded by at least three models.
"Mr. Wayne." Said Emma walking towards her.
"I was just telling these ladies that you might have to steal me away for a moment. I know earlier you said you wanted to talk to me about the library."
"I did." She said confused for a moment but she eventually got the hint. "Oh yes, right, sorry ladies I did need to talk to him about what books he would like me to purchase I suppose that would be a rather boring subject for you. I doubt you would be of much help." Said Emma taking Bruce by the arm starting to lead them away. The girls just sort of glared at her.
"Thank you." Bruce said in a whisper before turning back around for a moment to say. "I would love to hear more about you show later, Gina just give me a call." He said with a fake smile that only Emma knew was fake.
"Wait I don't have your number?" Said Gina calling after them.
"Keep walking pretend you didn't hear here." Whispered Bruce as they walked away.
"I can't believe you used me as a get away for a boring conversation." Emma whispered back. The two of them looked as though they were actually having a conversation like two business people rather than two people who knew each other so well.
"What makes you say it was boring?" Said Bruce waving to someone who had called him name. Emma just gave him a look and he said. "Yeah they were about as deep as a shower."
"I would have to agree with you Mr. Wayne." Said Lucius Fox coming over to join the pair.
"Mr. Fox this is Em-Ms. Carpenter she's re modeling Wayne Manor." Said Bruce introducing him.
"I suppose what you request for your house is a little more standard than what you usually ask me to make for you." Said Mr. Fox with a wry smile. Emma was feeling slightly left out at the shared joke between the two men.
"You could say that. Actually I don't have any requests really for the house." Said Bruce.
"Sounds like you have free reign Ms. Carpenter." Said Mr. Fox addressing her.
"Yeah, and he can't sue me when I paint one of the guest rooms pink with little ponies on it." Said Emma with a smirk.
"You better not." Said Bruce with a serious tone but he couldn't help but smiling a little.
"You're right rainbows would be so much better!" Said Emma pretending to look very excited at the prospect.
"I would kill you if you made any room in that house look like a six year old girl's room." Said Bruce rolling his eyes.
"I would like to see you try." She said with a smirk. "Well I believe it looks as though we have talked about paint swatches long enough, if you need me to save you from another herd of models I will be over by the bar."
"Enjoy your martini." He said as she left.
"So that's Emma." Said Lucius watching her leave.
"Yeah, she's something." Said Bruce with a smile.
Mr. Fox turned to look out the window they had been standing near. "It's starting to really come down out there."
"I probably should go. It's getting late." Said Bruce looking down at his watch.
"The lining I installed on the new suit should keep you pretty warm." Said Lucius knowing why Bruce had to leave. Bruce just nodded before heading out.
It was a few hours later before Emma tried to leave the party and it was close to being a blizzard outside. The phones lines and the power in the house had just gone out prompting everyone to leave. Most people had their drivers come to pick them up but Emma having no car was now cautiously walking down the drive trying not to slip in her high heels as she wrapped her coat around her tighter. She was looking of a cab or a pay phone which ever one she could find first. She wrapped her jacket around her tighter.
This had been a rather dumb idea she should have just stayed inside the manor instead of being stubborn and trying to find a cab. There was already a nice layer of snow on the ground and she felt as though she was getting frost bite in her toes. The wind whipped at her face as the snow continued to fall heavy around her. It was hard to see which direction she was going everything was covered in a blanket of white.
Despite how careful she was walking she still managed to slip on some black ice and fall flat on her back. She lay there for a moment it all happened so fast she was slightly disoriented she had felt like she had whip lash from the fall and her back was now sore and wet. She sat up and noticed her had broken the heel on her shoe.
"Great." She mumbled looking around her. There was no way she could walk all the way home. "Hello! Is anyone else out here!" She yelled into the wind in hopes someone heard her. She was about a mile outside of the city so the chances of anyone being out here were slim. But then she saw it. A dark figure looming against the sea of white.
"And now you're dying and death is coming for you." She mumbled to herself.
"What were you thinking?" Asked a gruff voice she had only ever heard once before in her life.
"I have no idea." She said her teeth chattering.
"That's obvious." Said Batman in an almost scolding tone.
"Hey, it's not like I'm so god damn damsel in distress or something it's not like I'm in danger all the time. I was arrested because of you!" She said getting up for some reason very angry with what the Batman was suggesting, that and yelling seemed to be helping her forget she was freezing to death.
"It is the second time I've had to come a save you." He said with what could almost be the ghost of a smile.
"Yes, well…damn it I lost my purse." Said Emma kneeling in the snow and beginning to shift through it.
"That's not a good idea, your going to freeze out here." Said Batman pulling her up out of the snow.
"Yeah except my house keys are their and my friend living there said she was going over to my friend Charlie's house which means I can't get home."
"Isn't there somewhere else I could take you?"
"I suppose since it's just about a mile back that way you could take me to Wayne Manor." Said Emma with a shrug. "You know where that is right?"
"Yes." Said Batman leading her over to where he had parked The Tumbler.
"Wait I have to get in that thing?" She said pointing at the car.
"Yes." Said Batman opening the doors and getting inside. Emma followed him and sat in the passenger's seat.
"Not much of a talker are you?" She said shivering and hugging her coat closer to her.
"People skills aren't exactly needed in my line of work." He said as he pushing some buttons on the command screen to turn the heat on in the vehicle as he began to drive over to Wayne Manor.
8888 Somewhere in Africa 8888
Todd Gellerman had been staying with the local villagers who were very grateful for his companies help.
"Mr. Todd you brother is here to see you." Said once of the local village children.
"My brother? I don't have a brother." Said Todd confused.
"Come on now Al it hurts to me to hear you say such things." Said a man in a suit pushing past the kid and coming into the room.
"Don't call me that." Said Todd with a grimace.
"Fine 'Todd' look I know you wanted to turn a new leaf and all but I didn't expect you to turn your back on the family brother. I helped you move to Gotham, help you set up your company helped you find a nice house and a nice girl but now I need you to return the favor."
"Look I already helped you ship the drugs now I've done my part leave me alone Mario." Said Todd waving his brother away.
"Fine, I've leave you alone but that's just what you're gonna be when you get back." Said Mario in a hinting tone.
"Don't you dare do anything to Emma, Mario!" Said Todd menacingly.
"I wasn't gonna, but I wouldn't be surprised if Wayne isn't doing things to her right now, if you know what I mean." Said Mario with a smirk.
"Emma's already told me she's just friend with Bruce and I trust her." Said Todd glaring at his brother.
"Yeah well they are pretty friendly." Said Mario pulling out some photos. "I've been having her followed I'm just looking out for you brother." He said handing them to Todd.
One was of Bruce and Emma laughing together over lunch at some diner, another was of them at Charlie's house kissing, and another was of Emma taking Bruce by the arm and dragging him into a store. "Look I love Emma and just want her to be…" Said Todd but Mario smacked him before he could finish.
"What happy? Don't give me that bull shit. Look the whole reason I found that girl for you in the first place was because she's a valuable asset."
"What do you mean asset?" Said Todd holding his stinging face.
"I mean she's got a storage unit with keys and blueprints to all the houses that belong to Gotham's elite and if we had a connection to her and could figure out the code for the unit we could break into the house and black mail the rich and wealthy it's just the thing we need to get out hands on Gotham. It's time the Viti's ruled more than just Chicago, brother."
"Why not just break in the shed your good at that kind of thing." Said Todd with a glare.
"Can't do that it would cause a panic and all the people would change their locks and security systems. Look the girl makes you happy right? Just get back to Gotham now and marry her before something happens to her, get it?" Said Mario grabbing Todd by the collar.
"You said it yourself she's a valuable asset you won't do anything to her." Said Todd with a grin thinking he had the upper hand.
"I don't think you understand what I'm willing to do to get my hands on this city Alberto don't underestimate me brother. Not to mention what would happen to you if ma and everyone else knew you've turned your back on your family." Said Mario looking very serious. Todd's grin had vanished.
"I can't leave until after I give out more vaccines."
"I'll take care of things here. The next flight out of this hell hole leaves in a week, I expect you to be on it. He's your tickets." Said Mario tossing them at Todd.
"Merry Christmas brother!" Said Mario as he slammed the door behind him. Todd picked up the ticket and also the pictures he said down and began to look at them more closely.
8888 Back at Wayne Manor 8888
Emma woke up to find two things very odd she was in a bed wrapped in about a thousand blankets and she was wearing an old t shirt and sweat pants and she had no idea how this had happened. She looked around the room and noticed it was dark except for a few candles. She figured out she was at Wayne Manor and was wearing some of Bruce's things because they smelled like him. Her thought were interrupted by someone coming into the room with a flashlight.
"Oh you're awake. For the record I didn't take your dress off." He said quickly.
Emma remembered she had been in Batman's car and was now somehow here. "Great I'm not sure I want to know who did." She mumbled.
"It was Alfred. We found you by the front door. Care to explain?"
"Oh it was rather dumb really I was walking in the snow and then Batman gave me a ride here cause I lost my purse and I must have fallen asleep in his tank thing and he must have dumped me on your doorstep."
"If it helps I think he rang the door bell first." Said Bruce with a smirk.
"Is the power out still?" Said Emma pointing to the candles and flashlight.
"Yeah Wayne Manor and Wayne Enterprises have there own generators but when power goes out in the whole city the generators power is switched to Arkham, County and Gotham General."
"Oh that's very handy." Said Emma sitting up and pushing off the mountain of blankets. "Did you give me enough of these things?" She said untangling herself from one of them.
"I just wanted to make sure you stayed warm." Said Bruce helping her free herself.
"Thank you for the concern. What time is it?" Said Emma smiling. She was very comforted that Bruce had been so concerned about her well being.
"Around 6 in the morning." Said Bruce.
"I'm sorry I stole your bed then." Said Emma stretching. He noticed that despite the fact that the shirt and sweatpants where huge on her she still managed to look amazing.
"It's alright as you know the couch is pretty comfortable."
"Yeah it is." Said Emma running her fingers through her hair. "God I must look awful right now. Do you think Alfred might be able to drive me home?" Said Emma walking over to one of the windows to try and check the weather.
"That might be a problem." Said Bruce opening one of the thick curtains to show her the good layer of snow that was blocking half of the first floor window. "Before the power cut out they were saying it's the worst storm Gotham has had in 40 years."
"No kidding." She said with a laugh. "That means I'm stuck here."
"Oh come on it's not the end of the world. I'm not that awful to be stuck with." Said Bruce with a teasing smirk.
"Yeah that's what you think." Said Emma teasing him back.
Well there you have it another chapter. Don't forget to review please.