A/N: I had trouble deciding how to end this chapter; the next chapter should be up sooner.
Disclaimer: I own no characters from DC comics.
Claimer: I DO own Dr. Valencia, Ambrose, and Sonya.
Bruce Wayne appeared out of nowhere as he was sometimes famous to do at his parties and balls he threw. The very first thing Dr. Valencia noticed about him was the deepened purple rings forming under his eyes. It made it difficult to guess his age, taking away the youthfulness and enhancing his features. She tried to imagine him without them but it was difficult. Those sports he was infamous for dabbling in by himself must have been doing a number on him, the doctor observed. If she had to guess, she would say he was late thirties or possibly early forties at the most.
While others were staring, they broke apart a path for him like Moses until he reached the far side of the room where the Valencia's and Ambrose stood by the piano. "Good Evening," he greeted, shaking Ambrose's hand, and kissing Sonya's. "I'm so glad you could come. I'm sure the performance tonight will liven up the spirits in here."
"We sure hope so," said Sonya.
"As if they weren't too lively already…" murmured Dr. Valencia.
Bruce stared at her and offered a small smile, somewhat awkwardly, then looked to the engaged couple for an introduction.
"Oh! I'm sorry, Mr. Wayne, this is my sister, Dr. Goldie Valencia."
"Dr. Marigold Valencia." Corrected the doctor, as she coldly grasped Bruce's offered hand.
"An honor, doctor. You are the famous physicist your sister has talked so much about. She gave me a copy of your proposal on the reuse of energy within a home by means of storage in specialized containers. It sounds intriguing."
The doctor shot her sister a disgruntled look to which Sonya only shrugged and smiled. "Have you read the proposal yet, Mr. Wayne?"
Bruce shook his head sadly and said with his cheeks slightly colored, "No, not as of yet. Matters of business have deprived me of any pleasure reading, but I'm sure the Board of Physics at WayneTech will be interested to hear of it and might very well fund your invention. I would be excited."
"I will be once it happens." Stated the doctor.
Bruce gave her a small smile, trying to be agreeable, but in the doctor's presence with her demeanor, it was rather hard to be cheerful. They stared at each other awkwardly for a few moments before Sonya broke the silence. She hesitantly grasped her sister's arm and pulled her away.
"I'm sorry but we're keeping you from your guests."
"Oh, its fine. I don't have any particular friends to talk to tonight." Almost by magic, none other than Veronica Vreeland happened upon him. In her hand was a glass of champagne unwittingly sloshing to and fro when she spotted her prey.
"Bruce, dear, what are you doing over here? You must come and join me. My friends and I were just discussing you." She sneered at Sonya, who stared down at her feet. Dr. Valencia glared at Miss Vreeland, but was secretly happy to be rid of Wayne.
"Veronica, I was talking to our entertainment for this evening. Won't you meet-"
"Oh but Bruce there's so much we have to say to each other. Its been so long sine I've seen you." She began to walk away, expecting him to follow. He looked over to the Valencia's and Ambrose with an apologetic face.
"Oh, but don't stay on our account, please enjoy yourself." Said Sonya, trying to put on a happy face. Bruce nodded and went off, unwillingly to join his counterpart with her group.
"I don't like Bruce Wayne."
"Surprise, Surprise," sighed Sonya, her eyes still staring longingly at Wayne.
"Don't make fun of me."
"You don't like anyone. Don't deny it, Goldie, but every time you're faced with someone of higher status than you, you shut down and don't say anything. Or worse, say something rude."
"If you knew how all this was going to be with me, why invite me in the first place, hmm? If you're so smart why have me here to support you, when you've obviously got everything to your liking?"
She turned around to have an arm whip her around to face Sonya. "Please, don't go. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just…I have a lot on my plate right now. Please don't leave."
"Fine, but I'm not talking to Wayne again."
Dr. Valencia looked over in Wayne's direction where he was shaking his head and laughing with other socialites. He wasn't holding any wine or champagne, which was the only positive thing she considered about him.
"Don't you like Mr. Wayne at all? He's done so much."
"He's got nice hair, and that suit looks like it cost a tidy sum."
"Oh stop it!" Sonya laughed, apparently in good spirits again. "I have a good feeling about him. Don't you have good feelings about people?"
"No, I don't trust my instincts. That's why we have logic. I prefer my mind's power, thank you."
"Sooner or later, you'll have to trust yourself about something …or someone for that matter." Her smile widened.
Dr. Valencia knew what she was talking about, and instead decided not to continue the conversation. Never would she approach that subject, and how dare Sonya try to bring it up. Sonya didn't know everything even if she was her older sister. Sonya turned toward her fiancé's placing her hand on his shoulder and squeezing lightly.
"You're so quiet tonight, love. What did you think of him?"
"Well, I think he's a fine fellow," stated Ambrose, who was seated on the piano bench, "kids like him usually don't care about people like us, or artistry for that matter."
"Ambrose he's practically your age! He's no kid."
Her fiancé's expression grew sullen and stared off at Wayne. His eyes grew serious, and knitted his brows together in concentration. "I see him as he is, and I think he is a boy, Sonya. Look at him. He looks lost, even with those people around him, can't you feel it? He looks so sad, poor guy."
Dr. Valencia but in, "we all lose our parents at one point or another. The fact is not to allow too much mercy for those who lose them sooner. No one gave us any extra sympathy for losing mom and dad. So, why should I give him any? I refuse to."
Before her sister could chide her, Bruce Wayne tapped a glass which almost appeared to magically emerge in his hand. The short tinkling noise seemed to ring the ball room and catch the attentions of the guests in only a few moments.
"My friends, thank you for coming here to celebrate with me a night of great triumph for the Wayne Enterprise family."
A short hum of voices echoed their agreement with some clapping and laughter.
"For years, my family has dedicated itself to the improvement of Gotham and its resources. We have worked long and hard, all of us, to get to this point in all of our careers. This company means such much to all of us and I know that I am thankful to have so many supporters, and colleagues behind me. I think that this night will allow us to truly appreciate what we have and what people we will gain along the way of the path of life and its uncertainties. I would now like to raise a toast to you all, and to every Wayne who could make this dream come true. To Gotham and its future!"
"To Gotham!" Everyone repeated, and drank their respective glasses. Bruce replaced his glass on a tray and gestured toward Sonya and Ambrose.
"Now if you will allow me to introduce to you to some very important people, they'll take over from here."
Mutters of agreement floated through the crowd. All eyes appeared on the couple as they positioned themselves to perform their number. Dr. Valencia excused herself from the stage and walked down into the crowd to the along a couple who smelled too strongly of fruity wine.
Ambrose began to tap the keys gently, producing a melody too beautiful for even his future sister-in-law to ignore. The enchanting tune made the crowd swoon over the pianists obvious talents with the keys. Dr. Valencia had never really heard him play before, at least not in front of a live audience when something depended upon it. But this was something entirely different, something she couldn't ignore so easily. Upon hearing the tune after a few moments she realized she recognized the tune. It was Vide Cor Meum. She remembered it from Hannibal last she saw it, from the opera scene. The music was beautiful and the only thing to make it better was when her sister began to sing the solo. The doctor knew it was a duet but supposed it was rearranged to accompany her sister's singing. She felt a swell of love for her sister, just then. The light, yet powerful voice of Sonya Valencia was absolutely beautiful, singing the Italian as if she spoke the language fluently, (which to her credit, she did not.)
The doctor was so distracted by it that she forgot about the others and turned back to look at Bruce Wayne who was mesmerized. The doctor read his expression and hoped it was the song that captured his attention and not the looks of a certain performer. He word the mask of kindness, but she was sure he was not as honorable as people said he was. He was, after all, richer than any other in the city. Her sister was engaged. She saw the way he looked at Sonya when he came to talk. Not many things could be hidden from her. She liked Ambrose and could not see him be hurt, him being with as few words and indifference similar to her. He was perhaps one of the only other people besides her sister she cared about.
A loud uproar broke her reverie. The sound of gunshots and a woman's scream echoed through the marble halls. Where the double doors once stood, was a stream of bodies. Men in black hustled inside carrying heavy machine guns, moving and threading through the crowd like trained Swat teams. Only they must have been a gang, sent by a crime lord or mob boss in some form of attack to get some easy cash with the guests here, knowing that Gotham's finest would be sporting their most expensive accessories, especially the ladies. It was only when the true horror came forward that truly silenced the crowd's whimpering voices.
The Joker stood apart from the rest, dressed in his usual purple suit and tacky orange waistcoat. Everyone around him slunk back. Spouses hugged one another and the single guests were left to either huddle with a group or make with courage and stand alone, facing the mad man himself.
"Don't stop the party on our account!" Screeched the mad man, followed by one of his notorious cackles. "We only stopped because we were in the neighborhood. Right, boys?"
The men clicked their guns, slinking around slowly and pointing it at every individual, ready for action.
"Right. I've so looked forward to one of these parties, no doubt thrown by the billionaire boy, Bruce Wayne. Am I right? Bruce Wayne having one of his shin digs. Oh this was going to be so much fun! Where is little Brucie? Can anyone find him?"
The crowd looked around. Dr. Valencia spotted Veronica's fiery hair, but no Wayne beside her. She seemed surprise to find that her billionaire playboy had disappeared from her arm. The doctor fumed. Damn bastard. You coward.
"Well? Is anybody going to introduce me? Or am I going to have to find him myself? Because believe me…you don't want me to." His grin disappeared as much as it could and replaced by it was the evil grim look the Joker gave whenever he was really being serious on rare occasions. He produced a shotgun and clicked it, sending the gunshot howling through the roof.
"Brucie Brucie, come out and play!" The socialites whimpered, women were crying while men stood still as stone. Joker no doubt found this to be very amusing. "Lets make a little game out of this shall we? The first person who gives up Bruce Wayne doesn't get shot and gets to watch the rest of you die. If sixty seconds pass and he's still not here, you all get to die! Won't this be fun?
"No!" Shouted Ambrose who was beside his fiancé in a split second. She grasped onto him tightly and buried her face in his lapel. He looked over a the Joker who only seemed so much more excited that his soon to be victim would cause a great heartbreak, something that would bring greater joy than any would imagine.
"Oh we have a plucky one…" he pointed the gun at Ambrose.
"Not here." A violent punch sent the Joker hurtling to the floor. Batman stood in his wake, having appeared from nowhere. The goons lurched at him, but was deceived by the barrage of batarangs he tossed around in a circle, relieving the criminals of their weapons, while being forced to settle with hand to hand combat. As Batman broke apart the gang one by one, tossing them into walls, and slamming them into concussions, the guests dispersed, screaming and shouting at each other to hurry towards the stairs and elevator. Dr. Valencia ran towards her sister and there they stood, blocked by the fight. They back against the window, fear soaking into their spirits as they watched the dark knight battle his way through the clown goons.
The Joker stood by and watched for only a few moments while his men were being tossed around like salads, then from his pocket pulled out a bomb.
"Oh Batman…"he teased once Batman had finished off the last of his men. "Catch." He chucked the metal canister to him, but Batman was launched himself out of the way, unknowing allowing the bomb to sail over to the piano.
Dr. Valencia could barely recall what happened next. She felt tow hands on her shoulders and being forcibly pushed away and falling down the short flight of stairs from the platform and rolling towards the other wall. The loud crack of breaking metal clang around her. The bomb set off and the tinkling of what was left of the metal canisters reverberated over the crashing noises of the window. She held her head, smartly defending herself against the glass shards. When the loud echo ceased, all she heard was the clowns laughter shrill and irrepressible. She slowly uncovered her head and looked back where the platform once stood and to her horror, Ambrose and Sonya gone. A coldness crept through her as she silently regarded their previous positions. She dared not stand up because the clown was still there, but saw that Batman grasped him up by his lapels and growled at him. "One day, Joker…I swear…one day…you'll pay…."
"Sounds like fun, but not as fun as my games! Maybe this will change your mind…" He sprayed Batman with his flower; the toxic fumes engulfed his face, sending the joker venom down his throat. Batman doubled over, unable to breathe and clutched his throat while fiddling with his utility belt, trying to find an antidote. He pinched open the claps and down the antidote, breathing heavily and standing up to face his arch-nemesis. Even though his assault lasted only a few seconds, the diversion was enough to allow the Joker to get away. Batman stood there alone. The Joker had gone, escaped again, leaving him alone with the company of Dr. Valencia.