Another update, this is an important chapter a lot of stuff happens rather fast.
Todd had been back for about a week and things had not been the same since then. Emma felt as though Todd was extremely jealous of her friendship with Bruce with was understandable. Any would be worried if his fiancé was friends with Gotham's most edible bachelor. However because of the fact he wanted her home all the time Emma didn't get to have dinner over at Bruce's like she usually did. She missed talking to him and spending so much time with him.
It actually made her uneasy, how much she missed him, it was more than she had missed Todd when he was in Africa and that thought unsettled her. She knew it was wrong to miss someone who wasn't her fiancé like that but Bruce had become a very important aspect of her life and Todd just didn't seem to understand that. In fact they fought about it constantly. So Emma tried to avoid the subject of Bruce Wayne or anything that had to do with him. It was however hard when Todd always asked her questions.
"So how was work today?"
"Fine." Said Emma not wanting to have another argument.
"Bet you will be glad when this is over and we are in South America on our honeymoon?" Said Todd.
"Yeah, I guess." Said Emma with a small smile. She had completely forgotten about that. It would be strange to on longer have a reason to see Bruce on a daily basis. It was also weird not having Misty around the house. Since Todd had come home Misty had decided to crash at Charlie's house most of the time though she keep most of her luggage at Emma's.
And so the small talk went on. Basically Emma's evening had been rather uneventful...
But then she thought she heard someone at the door. This was strange because it was late and no one would really come by at this hour. She opened the door and found Bruce standing there. He didn't say anything and neither did she, but some force compelled her to act before she could even thing about what she was doing, she kissed him and he returned the kiss with just as much fervor.
It was like thankmas all over again but this time no one was stopping them. Her hands ran through his hair and she felt his arms wrap around her waste pulling her closer to him but somehow it just didn't feel close enough. It was wrong to be kissing a man who wasn't her fiancé but something so wrong had never felt so damn right…and then somehow they had found there way to the couch and her legs wrapped instinctively around him as she felt the weight of him on top of her and she closed her eyes only for a moment to open the again and realize exactly where she was.
She sat up in her bedroom, breathing heavily, with sweat on her brow from the rather nice…no not nice she corrected herself the bad very bad dream she had just be having about the man who wasn't her fiancé. She looked at the clock it was around one in the morning, she had gone to sleep a few hours ago after her and Todd was done watching the news. What puzzled her however was the fact that Todd was not in bed beside her, which was probably a good thing should couldn't image what would have happened had he been there and if she had been talking in her sleep. That certainly would have started another argument which would have been reasonable since she was having dreams about another man. The strange thing was she had actually enjoyed the dream, which made her feel even guiltier. She didn't know where Todd was but figured he might have had to go into work or make a call to someone in another country.
She made her way into the living room to walk around a little and clear her mind. She noticed Misty was asleep on the couch she must have came in sometime during the night and crashed on the couch. Emma looked away from the couch trying not to think about it, she had yet to notice the dark figure sitting at the desk shifting trough files on Todd's laptop.
Batman had gone completely still when she entered the room. He had been looking at Todd's computer trying to find an answer to what seems to be a rather disappointing lead. Getting into the house had been easy because he knew where Emma keep the spare key and getting past he password on the computer had also been easy Emma was not a very secure password. What he had not expected however was Emma to come into the living room looking rather flushed about something. He watched as she turned to look over at the desk after looking at Misty who was sleeping like the dead. She seemed to be startled by his presence.
"How do you know where I live? No wait better question what are you doing in my apartment?" She said walking closer to the dark knight.
"Had to get some information." He said shutting the computer down there was no use looking at the files now that he had been scene.
"On what!" Said Emma feeling her privacy had been completely violated by this man. She just didn't feel it was right o kick him out after all he had saved her life on two occasions.
"Your fiancé." Said Batman getting up from the chair and heading for the window.
"Is he in some kind of trouble?" Asked Emma walking towards the vigilante.
"I don't know you tell me. Why would he records say his parents are dead when he claims his parents live in Chicago?" He said turning to face her.
"I don't know! Look I'm really confused right now. I don't know where my fiancé is, I just had dream about Bruce Wayne. My fiancé and me keep fighting because he thinks I'm having an affair and he still wants to get married but that's just the answer to everything right now…I don't know. I really don't know what I want anymore! And I have no idea why I'm telling you all of this." Said Emma pacing back and forth. Bruce could tell she was stressed she always got this way when she was stressed. She never handled it well and tended to freak out. It was hard for him to calm her down because his mind was reeling at some of the things she had just said. He grabbed her by the shoulders to stop her from pacing.
"You don't need to be thinking about this now. You should sleep." He told her. He noticed however that she was regarding him with scrutiny looking at the hand he had placed on her shoulder.
"I know you…" She said deep in though. It was true there was something extremely familiar to Emma about the vigilante. Some of the subtle things he or like now how the weight of his hand felt on her shoulder.
"I know, I saved your life, twice." He said taking his hand away.
"I know, it's just…from something other than that, I know you…I just don't know from what." She said trying to stare into his eyes. He looked away and said. "I have to go." Before turning and jumping out the window.
"Where do I know you from…" She said thinking aloud.
"Who the hell are you talking too?" Said Misty sitting up from the couch. She must have woke up when the window opened.
"Just a friend, I think." Said Emma closing the window.
"Right…" Said Misty looking at her friend with caution. "If I ever ask you to sign paperwork for Arkham you'll know why…"
"It was Batman, Misty I wasn't talking to myself." Said Emma rolling her eyes.
"What the hell was he doing here?"
"Looking for something on Todd. He thinks Todd might be involved with something."
"Oh like he might know something about The Calendar Man?"
"Who?"
"The Calendar Man the one who's committing all those crimes on Holidays Charlie's been talking about him."
"I doubt it, but you never know."
"Hey what are you doing up?"
"Just had an…interesting dream…" Said Emma once again remembering why she was awake.
"Oh interesting how?"
"I was about ready to have sex with Bruce." Said Emma putting her face in her hands.
"Well you're right that certainly is interesting." Said Misty with a smirk. "Well?"
"Well what?" Said Emma defensively.
"Was he any good?"
"It was a dream Misty!" Said Emma turning red from embarrassment. "A dream that I told Batman about, why the hell would I talk to Batman about something like that?"
"Because you're just a very strange lass." Said Misty with a laugh. "I'll go make some tea, and as my mother always said when you have a problem drink tea, it always works. Don't know if mother ever quite had your problem but…"
"I'm just going to pretend it didn't happen and go back to sleep." Mumbled Emma heading back to her room.
"Pleasant dreams!" Misty called after her with a smirk. Emma paused for a second but then decided not to retaliate and went back to her room.
However despite her best efforts Emma could not fall back asleep. Her mind was spinning and since she did not want to dwell on certain things she focused on her conversation with Batman. Where was Todd and why had he lied about his parents furthermore, why was Batman investigating so much into this? Maybe he was worried for her safety? She knew he was familiar her mind just couldn't figure out who it was, or perhaps it wouldn't perhaps a part of her already knew and just didn't want to confront it. She was after all very good a covering up things that made her life complicated.
Finally she gave up and go dressed and decided she would go looking for Todd, maybe he was at the office.
8888888
Batman had been searching every alleyway in the city looking for Todd until at last he found him. In a alley just outside Todd's building talking to someone in low tones. Batman when closer to try and here what they were saying.
"Look, I already told you I don't think this is going to work." Said Todd.
"And I've already told you Al it has to work. Do you want to give our family stake in Gotham or not. I think you've gone soft and you weren't supposed to have feeling for the girl. We would get the keys you would take her to south America and they boom she has an accident." Said the other man. Batman recognized him as Mario Viti know crime boss a member of a family who's power lay in Chicago but was trying to muscle there way into Gotham. Batman noticed he regarded "Todd" as Al possible sort for Alberto as in Alberto Viti Mario's brother. It was all beginning to make sense, he still however wasn't quite sure how Emma fit in to all of this.
"Oh yeah, what about that guy you hired Julian Day the one they call The Calendar Man he was just supposed to make trouble. He wasn't supposed to off Sophia Falcone or her brother on Christmas."
"I'm dealing with it. You just deal with your own problems eh?" Said Mario giving his brother a thump on the back before leaving the alleyway.
"Yeah well that's going to be easier said then done…" mumbled Todd kicking a can on the ground. Batman couldn't help but smirk, Todd Gellerman or rather Alberto Viti had just made his life a lot easier. He decided it was time to make his presence know.
"I've made sure the mob lost it's hold on Gotham and I plan to keep it out of there as well." Said Batman coming out of the shadows.
"You know you cost a cab driver an awful lot of money when you hit his car."
"He received a check when he got home. He's an honest man making an honest living he shouldn't be punished for it."
"Right, well it's been nice talking to you, but I better get home to my fiancé." Said Todd starting to walk away from the alley when Emma came around the corner.
"I thought you might have been at work. What are you doing in an alley did you get mugged?" Said Emma when she saw him. She had been glad to find him here she would have hated to walk around more of Gotham at night.
"No, I'm fine just had to see an associate and stopped to tie my shoe."
"Associate meaning his brother Mario Viti a member of a prominent Chicago mob family." Said Batman coming further into the light so that Emma could now see him. He had startled her slightly but she knew he had the ability to sort of just vanish at times.
"Todd, what's he talking about…" Said Emma regarding her fiancé with a questioning glance. She couldn't quite believe what she was hearing.
"I wasn't…" Started Todd but he was interrupted.
"They need you for something to help them get ties in Gotham. They were talking about that along with information about the man committing the crimes on major holidays." Said Batman.
Emma was in shock. How could Todd do something like this, he seemed so nice, he couldn't wouldn't be involved in something like this.
"Sweetheart, this guy dresses up like a bat, he's a lunatic who are you going to believe?" Said Todd putting and arm around her shoulder. She shrugged it off.
"Lunatic or not Todd he saved my life!" Said Emma glaring at him. "And if you weren't doing what he says you were doing what were you doing here?"
"I can't believe you going to side with him." Said Todd looking at her with a look of disappointment.
"I can't believe you're involved with the mob!" shouted Emma. She had made up her mind. The fact that Todd was not providing any fact as to why he was here meant that Batman was right.
Todd let out a laugh. "Yeah alright I was born into a mob family but I tried not to get into the family business but like I said I was born into it I didn't have a choice. Now don't even get me started on you, you two timing slut!" Said Todd speaking just as loudly as Emma was. Batman didn't really know what to do, he didn't want to be listening to them argue but he also didn't want Todd to hurt Emma in he anger, so he just stood there letting it all play out.
"Two timing? Is this about Bruce again? For the last time Bruce and I were not having an affair!"
"I have pictures! The two of you kissing at some apartment!" Said Todd finally saying the thing that had been nagging at him for a long time.
Emma was slightly shocked for a moment but then recovered. "That was at a Christmas party!"
"In November!? And it doesn't matter I've seen the way you look at him!"
"The way I look at him? How do I look at him?"
"Like you're in love with him. Let's put it this way it's not any way you ever looked at me!"
"Well it's probably for the best because I hardly even know you. I thought I knew you but then I find out your working for the mob and you're using me to get ties in Gotham." Said Emma feeling like everything in her world had just come crashing down.
"Yeah well you know what; it doesn't matter because this is over." He said glaring over at her.
Emma felt tears forming in her eyes and she wasn't quite sure why, she thought it might be because her fiancé was breaking up with her but it wasn't entirely that, she was overwhelmed by some many emotions she couldn't sort them all out.
"Fine." She said taking the ring off her finger and handing it to him. He left shortly after and it was then that Batman realized it might have been a good idea to stop a man involved in the mob from walking right out of a conversation but to be completely honest he was more worried about Emma who was at the moment standing in the alley with her face in her hands her shoulders shaking from what he thought was sobbing.
"Are you alright?" He asked her.
She wiped her eyes and replied with a small smile. "Surprisingly yes, I should feel awful but to be quite honest I'm not sure what I'm feeling right now. Oh and um sorry you had to watch that, it was a long time coming I suppose."
Batman didn't say anything just watched as she let out a sigh looking down at her hand. She then turned at looked at him and asked. "Do you think you could drop me off at a friend's house? I just really don't want to go back to my apartment right now."
"Sure. Where?"
"Same place you dropped me off last time."
"Alright." Said Batman with a nod. The whole drive there he keep glancing over at her to see how she was doing but her expression was unreadable. He imagined she had a lot to think about; her world had just been turned upside down. His had too in a way he had been right about Todd but what worried him was the fact that for some reason the mob needed Emma and he needed to find out why. However sensible thoughts such as these were not the first thing on his mind. He knew she would need time but technically as a few minutes ago she was now completely available and he no longer felt guilty thinking about how beautiful she could look in anything she was wearing.
He dropped her off at the front door and then he drove away. He would enter the house through the cave. Emma however rang the bell hoping someone might be up.
Alfred in his pajamas and a robe answered the door. "Ms. Emma, what are you doing here at this hour?" He asked puzzled.
"It's a long story, basically…" She said with a sigh. "Todd or rather Alberto and I broke up and I really just didn't want to go home so is it okay if I crash here?"
"Certainly, would you like me to make you anything?" Said Alfred ushering her inside.
"I think I'll just make some tea. I really just need to be alone for a moment to sort all of this out."
"Of course, if you need anything just let me know." Said the butler with a warm smile. He knew she was going through a tough situation yet at the same time it couldn't have come at a better time seeing as he knew Master Wayne had feeling for the girl.
Emma made herself a cup of tea and sat on the kitchen counter. Like she had told Batman the odd this about what had just happened was the fact that she didn't feel bad about her a Todd breaking up. What did disturbed her was the fact that Todd was really a know mobster. She wondered how she had not been able to figure this out but then she realized what did she really know about Todd, they never really talked, sure they did everything a couple was supposed to do but they didn't really get to know each other. It was like there entire relationship they had just been going through the motions but never really being in a relationship. Then she thought about the fact that Todd was no longer a part of her life and she noticed that it didn't bother her in the slightest. However her not being able to spend time with Bruce drove her crazy.
Then there way Bruce, the topic of many of there arguments. Everyone whether jokingly or seriously had told her she was in love with him, but the real question was what did she really know about love besides the fact that it made a person do crazy things. Her father had told her she was afraid of love, perhaps it was true. She was so afraid of getting close to a person which was why she had live a rather detached life from everyone that she didn't let close to her. She realized that she had never really loved Todd, she never really was that close to him. Never told him about her parents, never really spend hours just talking to him, never felt that when he wasn't around something important was missing, never felt like everything else around her just disappeared, like nothing else that was on her mind really mattered, but there was someone who did make her feel that way and that person had no been Todd…she had ignored it for so long, pushed it away but now she was going to think and possibly say it sometime soon she was in love with…
"Hey, are you alright. I sort of heard about well you and Todd." Said Bruce walking into the kitchen. He had been standing in the doorway for awhile just watching her. He noticed she appeared deep in thought. He could understand after what had just happened to her in the past few hours. However something else was bother him, it was the fact that he had been there to witness it all and she didn't even know it. He would have to tell her, sooner rather than later.
"Yeah, well it was for the best I suppose." She said looking at him strangely. "You know this probably isn't the best time but I think I've always sort of know I just couldn't face the facts. I think it's actually part of the reason we broke up actually. I never really loved Todd, I actually love someone else…" She said looking down at her mug and then back at him she let out a small laugh before saying. "You, Bruce, I think I'm in love with you…"
A/N I was almost going to stop here and leave you with a cliff hanger but I thought about it some more and decided to press on.
At her words Bruce let out a sigh. He didn't know what to say, yes he did love her as well but the fact was she didn't know a thing about his night life and it wasn't fair for her not to know. He was afraid at how she would take the news, afraid her might lose her before he ever really had her because of it. She however took his silence as a bad thing.
"Right sorry, it's like two in the morning and I well not really myself so…" She said putting her cup in the sink and looking as though she was about to flee the room. However he put and hand on her shoulder to stop her.
"Emma you're right it is two in the morning and you are under a lot of stress but please don't apologize. I think I've loved you for a long time, had to keep reminding myself you were engaged but there's something else I have to tell you I just don't know how."
"What is it?" She said looking at him with concern but she also felt greatly relieved at what he had just said.
"Do you remember I told you I had a secret and I would tell you about it sometime, I just can't seem to think how to phrase it, maybe it's better if I just show you." He said taking her hand and leading her down the hall. They stopped in what looked like a study and Bruce went over to the piano and pressed a few keys.
"Playing the piano isn't a crime Bruce." Said Emma with a small smile which quickly faded when she noticed one of the bookshelves moved to reveal a stone staircase leading down a dark hallway.
"Come on." Said Bruce reassuringly leading her down the passageway. It was dark and Emma could hardly see until the lights began to turn on when the hallway opened up. She looked around and the appeared to be in a cave with a waterfall. There were bats flying around near the roof and Bruce let go of her hands to press some buttons on a key pad.
"Bruce what is…" Said Emma half forming a question until she noticed something rise out from the floor. It was lighted and Emma walked towards it. She reached up to touch the black material as though to confirm it was in fact there. It was a suit made of what appeared to be Kevlar and some thing else, the same suit that Batman wore, the suit Bruce wore. She felt her face redden when she thought of everything that had happened tonight everything Batman had saw, everything Bruce had saw.
"I understand it you want to revoke you're earlier statement." Said Bruce coming over to join her looking at the suit as well.
"I…no not at all. I just, god I feel so embarrassed." She said still thinking about earlier.
Bruce let out a laugh. "I just basically told you I run around the city dressed as a giant bat and you're the one who's embarrassed?"
"I told you I had naughty dream about you and you watched me break up with my fiancé that's why I'm embarrassed!" Said Emma covering her face.
"Actually you let out a naughty part but…" Said Bruce stopping when Emma glared at him.
"Yes well, I'm glad you're finding humor in this."
"I'm just relieved you don't suddenly hate me for all of this." Said Bruce gesturing to the cave around them.
"Despite my best efforts it seems I can't hate you." Said Emma turning to face him.
"I could say the same for you." Said Bruce also facing her. He reached up a tucked a stray stand of hair behind her ear and she leaned into his touch. It was strange the way they were acting among one another. Despite everything that had just happened it was like they were the same but also different. They had both been trying to deny the fact that they had feeling for one another and yet now that they had accepted it seemed so natural, so right. It was like everything that happened didn't matter and yet it did… however right now all that matter in this new crazy world they were in was the fact that they were in it together.
Well there you have it. That's this chapter. Hope you enjoyed and don't forget to review please.