A/N: There isn't too much action here, just a lot if blood. Enjoy!
I listened to the soft rhythmic sound of my favourite band's music, flowing through the room I was in, grateful to it for helping to drag me out of the medically induced sleep I'd been in for I don't know how long already. Everything else around me was quiet and peaceful allowing me to concentrate on the music.
I was awake and now I was battling between opening my eyes, and facing my daunting reality, or keeping them closed and facing my equally haunting dreams. Personally I would choose to rather face the Joker and Two-face together by myself than see my brother's empty eyes once again, in my dreams, so for now reality seemed to be the better of both evils. I slowly forced the thick fog, which was clouding my mind, away and opened my eyes. I was shocked when I realised where I actually was, I clearly remembered asking Alfred to take me to the hospital but it seemed that he didn't feel the need to do so, since I was lying in my bed back in the newly rebuilt Wayne Manor.
I sat up carefully, not daring to move my shoulder, and I noticed that it had been bandaged and put in a sling, Alfred's doing no doubt. I made a mental note to thank him for that later.
I then looked around the familiar room. The light butternut coloured walls radiated the warmth I longed for each night I'd spent listening to my parents' epic verbal and physical battles. The colour also gave the room a homey feel to it so that someone would immediately feel at ease between the walls which helped keep me as sane as possible in this godforsaken city both Bruce and I loved. The hard white tiles had swirls of light grey in them that complemented the walls perfectly but their smooth, cold texture kept the warmth of the soft butternut colour from eluding me entirely of all sense of reality. The coldness reminded me of why I still lived and of why I hadn't ended my misery while I still had a chance; before I fell in love with Bruce and realised just how much he really needed me, nothing could make me leave him the way he was now.
My entire bedroom was two rooms made into a small living quarters, Bruce knew that I preferred to be left alone for hours on end and he had let me design my room so that I could do just that. The room consisted of two levels divided by two small stairs leading to the lower level.
The lower level was quite big; it had a large, brown leather lounge suite, a coffee table in the middle and then a bar fridge, beside the longest couch, were I kept all my drinks and maybe a few odd snacks. There was a door to my walk in closet at the far end; inside the closet was a passageway that led down to the Bat-cave and my many clothing articles. To the left there was a big, low window and the door leading into my room on the right and the solid white curtains had a simple lace, flower decoration on them hung in front of the window.
The higher level was where I slept, worked and kept in touch with the big bad world I escaped from every time I stepped foot through my bedroom door. My actual bedroom was a smaller area; my king-sized bed that I had pushed against the middle of the back wall took up most of the space. There weren't any windows here, for security purposes; instead I had a large mahogany desk, filling up most of the left wall. There were two high tech computers on the desk and it was clustered full of novels I'd read over and over, stacks of paper and stationary. I also had a big flat screen TV mounted onto the wall, right in front of my bed, along with a stereo system so that I could watch the Gotham news and listen to music while I worked. There was a door on the right that led to my private bathroom and had filled the rest of the wall with a painting of my brother so I could be reminded everyday of why I had finally decided to become Batgirl.
I nimbly moved out of the bed, walking down the steps and over to the window, then throwing the curtains open with my good arm, I sat on the waist high windowsill. The windowsill was my favourite spot in the entire mansion except for in front of the giant computer Bruce had down in the Bat-cave; even with all the tips I'd given him, I was still the better computer hacker between the two of us.
The window was long enough and the windowsill was wide enough for me to lie on it, instead I just sat on the windowsill with my back against the side of the window. I opened the window and breathed in the fresh damp air; the smell of rain hung in the air and I realised it was late morning. The white fog from the rain still hung in the air and a few lone raindrops still fell aimlessly into the already over saturated grass. The rain had ceased for now and the view was surprisingly amazing; it over looked the deep green forest and the bat caves at the back of the mansion, Gotham did have its quirks after all, it's country side was truly amazing. I sat on the windowsill for about another hour, just staring out of the window and humming in tune with the music, before I heard Alfred enter my room carrying a tray of food. I turned my head to him and I spied the bottles of medication towering like skyscrapers next to my plate of food and glass of orange juice. I noticed a bottle with a silvery white label stuck to it and turned away, disgruntled, I hadn't expected Alfred to bring me my lithium pills today, my mental state had been perfectly fine the passed few weeks.
"Good morning Miss Donnison, it's good to see you up and about. How are you feeling?" He asked, his accent reminding me too much of my parents' butler, Harry.
"I'm alright Alfred, did the bullet go straight through?" I asked and motioned towards my shoulder, I was avoiding asking the question I wanted to ask most because I feared the answer more than any other atrocities that reality could throw at me, if Bruce died... I would die, there was no doubt in my mind that I would finally manage to take my own life after I could no longer find anything to keep me living in a world I hated so much. Alfred set the food down on the coffee table before answering, "Yes Miss, it isn't too bad but it's bound to hurt."
I sighed softly glad that it shouldn't cause too much permanent damage to my shoulder but I knew that shoulder injuries took years to heal completely. A peaceful silence descended between us as I lost myself in the depths of my own mind but Alfred stayed, I knew he was waiting for me to ask about the man I loved, I figured procrastination wasn't going to help so I spoke softly, "How's he?" My voice was almost inaudible but the older man understood it perfectly well, any other question would've come out clearer.
"He's in the hospital but they say he's doing very well. They removed the bullet and the last I heard he was sleeping." I nodded but I didn't look at him because tears had started to well up in my eyes, I was supposed to protect Bruce. It was one of the reasons I decided to dress up as a over sized bat and run around Gotham fighting psychopaths that dared show their insanity to the world.
"I had to destroy some of Master Bruce's vases and paintings because I told our fellow crime fighters that two robbers had come into the house, knocked me out and started breaking things. Master Bruce had been home and confronted them but they'd shot him and took off with two of his paintings. You on the other hand dislocated your arm while out riding in the woods." He seemed happy with his story and I nodded again, grateful that he wasn't giving me a chance to get a word in so that I could fight away the tears.
"That'll be all Miss? You know how to reach me you need me. Oh, and try to eat something today Miss, that arm won't heal properly if you don't get some food in your system, I've put some pain killers on the tray for you as well as your regular medication. Rest would also do you good." I nodded and he turned to leave, knowing me well enough to know I would never take it easy just because of a simple shoulder injury.
"Thank you for the sling Alfred but that's not all." I turned to him and spoke once I was confident my voice wouldn't betray how I felt but I was sure Alfred knew that I had more than friendly feelings towards my partner and long time friend.
"Just doing my job Miss, what else would you like?" He turned and smiled at me.
"Do you know if I can go and see Bruce?" Saying his name felt so right to me that it sent cold shivers up my spine.
"Yes, you may go see him." Alfred nodded his head; I only had one more question for him, "what's happened in Gotham since we've been away?"
"Harvey Dent has started the necessary procedures so that he can resume his role as Gotham's DA and the mob's men are back on the street." He replied unhappily and my jaw dropped.
"What the hell does Harvey want? No wait don't answer that I can only imagine all the havoc he wants to unleash in this city." I breathed once I had rearranged my jaw; my temper started to rise with the bad news.
"And you're absolutely correct but nobody knows about Harvey's sins thanks to the Batman and I'm afraid Commissioner Gordon has no control over this." I winced as the reality of Alfred's words and the severity of the situation sank in and numbed my system.
"I thought he was dead, not many men survive a fall like that!" My voice was a horse and I stared back at Alfred my eyes wide.
"The Commissioner says he just got up and walked away, mad men tend to survive things most sane men don't." I swallowed hard and nodded, I'd heard Bruce say that before, no doubt that what Alfred said was true.
"We have to fix this Alfred, we can't have a maniac in charge of all the criminals that we put away." we both knew who 'we' were and weary determination came over me along with the numbness. It mixed with my anger causing me to get up from my seat on the windowsill a bit to quickly. I gasp in pain but I sucked it up and walked over to my closet. Once I reached the closet door I turned to Alfred one last time before I started my day.
"Alfred is that party that Bruce arranged for this evening still on?" I said and then walked into my closet.
"Yes it is, I haven't had time to cancel it yet." He replied and I grabbed a pair of black pants and top off one of the shelves and began to change quickly and as painlessly as possible. The pants was easy enough to slip on but taking my arm out of the sling to put my top on felt like my shoulder was burning from the inside out.
"Good, don't cancel it, I'll handle it for Bruce and make sure Harvey Dent is there. Also make me an appointment for Lucius Fox for sometime this afternoon. I'm going to see Bruce now, call me once you've made the appointment." I walked out of the closet, fully dressed and looked at Alfred. I figured fixing the bat suites would be a good idea since Harvey was back.
"Yes of course Miss." I smiled at him through my anger.
"Thank you Alfred. I'll be leaving in a few moments and I would like to take my Lamborghini." I remembered Bruce crashing his Lamborghini as I walked over to the bathroom. I heard Alfred leave while I leaned over the basin and dabbed my face with cool water then dried it with the towel hanging next to the basin. Once I had finished I looked at myself in the mirror, I barely recognised myself but I refused to dwell on that as I began to apply my make up, I had completely forgotten my breakfast by then, for Harvey Dent's name was the only thing running through my head. My pills had been forgotten as well.
I knew nothing could really prepare me for seeing Bruce lying in the hospital bed, deathly pale and lying so still I had to glance up at the cardiac monitor every two minutes just so I could make sure he was still breathing.
I took his ice cold hand in mine and rubbed it between my icy fingers, for a few minutes, hoping to somehow revive Bruce with the heat created by the friction but the heat just disappeared as soon as it was created dimming my hopes of waking him.
The ride to the hospital had been uneventful, as I had raced my most prised black Lamborghini at 80 miles per hour through the nearly empty streets. There weren't many obstacles in my way since most of Gotham's citizens were at work, working diligently and trying to make something out of the monotonous lives they led in the world's greatest city.
My seat next to Bruce's bed was getting rather uncomfortable by the time I noticed his eye lids flutter for a split second before opening slowly. I glanced at the clock, for filling my duty the nurse had given me, and I noticed that three hours had gone by and it was now noon.
Bruce's hand moved in my hands, he squeezed one of my hands feebly. I squeezed back gently and forced a smile to my lips.
"Hello Melissa." Bruce turned his head to look at me and I froze when his beautiful brown eyes met mine.
"Hi Bruce. How are you feeling?" I watched him carefully, searching for any indication that he was in pain but if he showed no signs of distress.
"I'm doing fine," He answered quickly, "how are you?" His voice was tinted with concern for my well being but his face was hard, a constant mask. I'd got used to the mask by now; it seemed to come with Batman. Bruce was no longer Bruce Wayne anymore but Batman. I felt fresh tears well up behind my eyes again. The thought that I might never get to see the real Bruce Wayne again was devastating, but from all my years of acting as if I were oblivious to what really happened the night of my parents' murder, I easily hid them behind a mask of my own. I also knew that the day he came back to Gotham he would be a different man, there was no denying that now.
I dropped his hand and stood up to go and stare out of the hospital window before I answered, "I'm perfectly fine Bruce, no real damage done." I continued to stare out of the window and into the parking lot. I could see some of the city from the hospital; it's architecture was beautiful but as the violence and crime increased, the city seemed to decay more and more, defacing and distorting the image of a once magnificent city. I heard the T.V switch on behind me; Bruce had switched the news on. I ignored what the anchor was saying but I turned to watch Bruce's reaction to what was on the T.V.
Bruce paled slightly but the mask stayed in place as a picture of a very alive Harvey Dent was displayed on the T.V. screen. I moved to go stand besides Bruce so I could stop him if he decided to do anything stupid.
"Alfred told me that he wants to resume his role as Gotham's DA." I whispered and I noticed one of Bruce's hands ball into a tight fist.
"I thought he was dead," Bruce replied, his voice matching my horrified whisper.
"We both saw him fall, we never saw him take his last breath. You've said it yourself; mad men survive things..." I trailed off when I saw Bruce knew where I was going with the subject, instead I cautioned my sentence with another question, "what are we going to do?"
Bruce looked at me and shook his head. It took me a moment to realise what he meant but anger still managed to erupt inside my chest like hot magma trying to break the surface of the Earth's crust; in this case the crust was my heart.
"No Bruce." I gasped, "we can't not do anything about it! He'll undo everything that we've done for this city, he'll undo everything you've done for this city!" I just barely kept my voice down to an angry whisper but he just stared back at me, his eyes just as angry as I was.
"If we go out there, if Batman and Batgirl go out there, and stop him then what I did to keep his reputation intact would've been in vain. Plus the whole city is looking for us, if we go out there it will be as of we're fighting against the whole city, not just Harvey Dent!" His voice was a low reprimanding hiss and I flinched at the authority he had over me. I bit my tongue hard as tears sprang to my eyes because of the pain that burned a hole in my chest. I tasted my own blood as the pain in my tongue slowly began to drown out the pain in my chest. The metallic taste of my blood and extreme torture my teeth inflicted on my tongue instantly made me feel better and the pain in my chest slowly melted away leaving me feeling empty.
I had looked away from Bruce but I could still feel his gaze on my face. Cold fingers curled under my chin and brought my face up to face him again. I looked into his eyes, looking for some reassurance but his brown eyes were bleak and empty. I remembered when his eyes were once full of life and to some extent: joy.
"Batman and Batgirl are going to have to disappear for a while." Bruce murmured and then he seemed to watch my reaction. I kept my mask on but I couldn't deny the anger that filled the empty space the pain had left in my chest. I stared back at Bruce and nodded my head in fake agreement then I turned around and walked out of the Bruce's hospital room. Rage drove me the rest of the way, helping me move my legs so that I made it to my car.
I let my shoulder out of the sling and ripped the car door open with it, gritting my teeth when the pain caused a scream to jump to the back of my throat. I sat in the car and closed the door with my good arm, then I began pounding the steering wheel with both arms and screaming softly, my screams muffled my teeth clamped down on my tongue. I carried on until I was holding my bleeding shoulder and whimpering because the pain was so excruciating it brought tears to my eyes. I let myself cry after I had finished screaming because I was so utterly exhausted I couldn't find enough energy to do much else.
Almost for the first time I noticed the wet red stain on my top swell and then it hit me that I needed to stop the bleeding. With my good arm I yanked the compartment next to the steering wheel open, grabbing the box of tissues inside and dropping it on my lap, I pulled a few tissues out of the box and then I pulled my top aside. First I dabbed the wound to clear away some of the blood then, throwing the bloodied tissues aside I tugged more tissues from the box and applied pressure to the hole in my shoulder. Gasping, I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes, not caring to get any blood on the black leather seats.
I had to get new tissues about four times before the blood stopped seeping out of my shoulder by then I'd lost enough blood to make me feel light headed. My cell phone rang causing me to jump, I scrambled to get it and flip it open in time.
"Hello." I said quietly into the receiver and I heard Alfred's voice come through on the other side.
"Hello Miss, I've managed to reach Mr. Fox and he said he'll see you immediately at his office at Wayne Enterprise." I squeezed my eyes shut. I had totally forgotten about the task that I had given Alfred earlier today.
"Thank you Alfred, I'll be there." I closed the phone ending the call. I sighed, happy that something had distracted me, I waited for the day that I would just snap and let myself bleed to death. Bruce seemed to want Batman and Batgirl to disappear, I knew that would never happen. There would always be another threat; another psycho that would cause havoc in Gotham and Bruce wouldn't be able to watch knowing that he had the power to stop that psycho.
I looked at my shoulder once more and slipped the sling back on. The pain in my shoulder had been reduced to a dull ache now and I knew a visit back home before I met with Lucius would be inevitable; I had to fix myself up again.
I started the car but someone caught my eye. I stared across the parking lot as Rachel Dawes entered the hospital going to see Bruce no doubt.
A/N: I want to know what you think about the character's you've read about so far in this story so please make a note to comment about that in your review.