A/N: Thank you guys so much fo my reviews! Okay, big time thanks go to AngelQueen and Joyzdee. You have been a great help in getting this chapter done.
Over the course of the next two weeks, Isabella found her time divided between work, forcing her uncle to eat, and more dates with Bruce. Most of their dates were rather informal. Walks through the park, dinners at small restaurants she knew, or simply an evening in at her place, talking for hours. She told him how she had met Rachel, and they spent an entire evening reminiscing about their mutual friend. Now, school was out, and Isabella was walking through the park alone, simply enjoying the day. She smiled as she caught the scent of sandalwood drifting from behind her.
"Playing hooky, Mr. Wayne?" she teased, as his strong arms wrapped around her middle, his lips on her neck.
"How is it I can never sneak up on you?" he whispered against her skin, making her shiver in delight. She turned in his arms and met his lips with hers, lazily wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Next time, try to sneak from downwind. Your scent gave you away." she replied, and he nuzzled into her hair, one hand skimming the bare strip of flesh between her tank top and her jeans. She moaned a little at the touch, and he pulled back a little.
"I missed you." he said, his tone hinting at hidden emotions. Isabella felt her heart skip a beat at his words. She pulled him over to the edge of the path, where she slipped off her sandals.
"Take off your shoes." she demanded, and she heard him crouch down to comply. After a moment, he straightened and took her hand again. She smiled and pulled him onto the lush grass, heading along until the shade of a large tree blocked the sun on her face. Bruce moved to sit against the trunk, and pulled Isabella against his chest. She leaned against him, resting her arms on his bent knees, and smiled.
"Have I told you how beautiful you look today?" he asked, leaning forward to trail kisses along her neck. She laughed and tilted her head back to give him more access.
"I'll take your word for it." she joked, feeling his hand slide over her stomach and hold her close.
"You're not like anybody I have ever met. You live every day to the fullest, and there are times when I doubt you're really blind. How do you do that anyways?" he asked. Isabella turned to glance over her shoulder, her hair sliding out of the way.
"Did you ever read Daredevil comics as a kid?" she asked. He chuckled, the sound reverberating through his chest.
"Not really." he replied.
"Well, Daredevil was kind of like Batman, only the guy behind the mask was blind. He had no real powers, he just trained his senses to see for him. His hearing was so sensitive, it was kind of like sonar. His sense of touch was so acute, he could read newspapers by running his fingers over the newsprint. I kind of did that. I trained my other senses to see for me. Would you believe I actually take aikido classes?" she said, pulling herself to her feet. Bruce was only a second behind her, his arms sliding around her waist.
"How did I get lucky enough to have a girlfriend like you?" he breathed against her skin She tilted her head up and pressed a heated kiss to his lips.
"You looked beyond the blind girl." she whispered against his lips. The couple walked back to the path and out of the park, hands still entwined.
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"Isabella, is there anything you want to tell me?" Isabella blinked, pulling her innocent face as she walked into her uncle's office, carrying a takeout bag from Lorenzo's. Jim had been running himself ragged trying to track down the Joker. Only Isabella's frequent visits kept him fed.
"Like what?" she asked nonchalantly.
"Like the fact that half the papers the last few days have pictures of you and Bruce Wayne together. Are things getting serious with this guy?" he asked. Isabella felt her face heat up a little at her uncle's words. Being with Bruce was always wonderful, and they had been spending a lot of time together. Taking a deep breath, she faced her uncle.
"Uncle Jim, I know you are concerned about me, but I am fine. Bruce is a wonderful, caring man. More than that, he sees me as more than some blind woman. It's very hard to find someone like that in this world." she said. There was a soft rustle as Jim moved around his desk and took her hands.
"I am concerned about you, but at the moment, I am also happy. I can see the look on your face when you're with Wayne. You're falling in love with him, aren't you?" he asked softly. Isabella paled as she sat down heavily in a chair. Was she? She had never been in love with anybody.
"I don't know. How would I know?" she asked.
"How does he make you feel?" he asked. She sighed, her fingers interlacing over her stomach.
"He makes me smile. When I'm waiting for him to come over to my apartment I'm nervous and excited just to see him. When I feel him near me, I get butterflies in my stomach. I never think about his money, or his looks, because we can talk about so much beyond that. He makes me laugh when he tries to sneak up on me, but I always know he's coming." she said, a soft smile on her face. Jim began to laugh gently.
"Oh, yeah. You've got it bad." he teased. Isabella laughed at her uncle, pushing the bag of food into his hands.
"Eat. Aunt Barb said you haven't been coming home. Don't forget your promise to Jimmy." she said, heading for the door again.
"I didn't want to worry her. The Joker slipped into city hall the day he escaped. I've gotta catch this guy. He was smart too. Used theatre makeup to hide his face." he replied, and Isabella froze, her memory screaming at her. Her hands started trembling.
"It was him." she breathed, her breathing becoming labored.
"Iz, what is it, what's wrong honey?" he asked, gripping her arms.
"I ran into him. The day you and I talked about Jimmy. I ran into a strange man outside the building. He smelled like greasepaint, and his voice sounded like someone trying hard not to laugh. He looked me right in the eyes and let me go." she whispered, her whole body shaking. Jim gently led her back to his desk and sat her down in one of the chairs.
"It's gonna be okay, Iz. I'll have a car take you home, and we'll figure something out." he said. She shot a blank glare in his direction.
"I am not going to hide in my apartment like some invalid. I can take care of myself." she snapped, her annoyance at her uncle overriding her fear about meeting the Joker.
"Iz, this is serious. The Joker is dangerous."
"And why in the hell would he care about a blind woman who didn't even realize she was talking to him. I am probably one of the safest people in Gotham on that front." she yelled, leaping to her feet and storming out the door. At the street she hailed a cab and gave the cabbie her address.
Once she arrived at her apartment, she stormed inside and slammed the doors, throwing the locks in anger. Outside, she could hear thunder rumbling. Shrugging off her jacket, she stomped through her apartment, pausing as she found the flowers Bruce had sent her the day before. Heady jasmine mixed in with lavender filled her nose, and she smiled, feeling her heart flip flop as she recalled her talk with her uncle. If this was what love felt like, she liked it. She moved to the window to listen to the rain, leaning her head against the cool glass as the rain pelted down. Before too long, a knock at her door interrupted her thoughts. She moved to the door and leaned against it.
"Who's there?" she called. Through the door, she heard muffled movement.
"It's Aunt Barb. Izzy, I need a favor." her aunts voice called through the wood. Isabella pulled the door open and stepped aside to let her aunt in.
"What's up?" she asked, listening to her aunt's shuffling steps, followed by Jimmy's lighter steps behind her. A soft sniffle from her aunt's direction alerted Isabella to where her other cousin was.
"I'm so sorry, but Barbie is really sick, and I have to take her to see the doctor. Can you watch Jimmy for me? He has his game thingy, so he shouldn't be too much of a bother." Barb's voice was frantic, a normal worried parent. Isabella smiled warmly.
"Of course, Aunt Barb. Jimmy and I will have fun, you just worry about Barbie. I hope you feel better honey." she soothed.
"Thank you Iz." Barbie's voice was scratchy and quiet. The poor thing was definitely sick. Jimmy moved past Isabella and dropped his book bag with a thud. Barb pressed a quick kiss to her niece's forehead before rushing out the door. Isabella closed it behind her, and turned to find her cousin.
"Jimmy?" she called, moving into the living room.
"Where did you get all these flowers?" he asked.
"My boyfriend sent them to me." she replied, smiling as she thought of Bruce. A soft sniff and quick shuffle told her that Jimmy was moving between the two most recent bouquets.
"Did anyone tell you what color these were?" he asked, and Isabella shook her head, settling into a chair.
"No. It doesn't really matter to me." she explained.
"Oh. I just ask cause these last ones are the same shade as your eyes." he said. Isabella blinked in surprise, moving over to stand next to the younger Gordon. She leaned over and breathed in the scent of orchids, her brow furrowing in thought.
"Jimmy, what color are m eyes?" she asked, curiosity burning in her.
"Really dark blue. I think Mom called them indigo once. Dad said it was a rare color normally, and even more so since your blind." Jimmy replied, before moving to the couch. Isabella absently listened to her cousin dig through his backpack for his handheld game as she thought of the meaning behind the color of the flowers. She had never known color, so it made no difference to her, but maybe it meant something to Bruce, that he picked out flowers that matched her eyes. Sighing, she turned back to her chair, her fingers finding her favorite copy of Persuasion. She read quietly while Jimmy played his game, the music playing at a quiet enough level not to annoy her. Without realizing it, the soothing drumming of the rain on her window, and the repetitive beeping of the game lulled her to sleep, her book sliding into her lap.
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"Why did you have to be the bad guy? You weren't the one who did those things, so why did my dad say it was you?" Jimmy's voice was quiet, but it was enough to rouse Isabella from her sleep. The responding voice was low, harsh enough to tell her it was intentionally pitched, but the undertones pushed at her memory, telling her she should know this voice.
"Mr. Dent was a good man, and if the city knew what really happened, all the good her did wouldn't have mattered. The bad guys could get out of jail, and nobody would trust the police and the DA again. I chose to be the villain the city needed me to be so that people like your dad could keep doing what they do best and help the city in ways I can't." Batman's voice was as low as he could speak and still be understood, and Isabella knew he was trying not to wake her up. She sat upright in her chair, turning her head to where Jimmy and Batman were talking by the window.
"I guess this means I need new window locks." she said calmly. Jimmy gasped and ran over, throwing his arms around her neck.
"Izzy, Batman said he was checking on you. He said that Dad was worried about you for some reason." Jimmy said. Isabella smiled and ruffled her cousin's hair.
"Your dad is always worried about me. What time is it?" she asked.
"2 AM. I didn't mean to wake you." Batman's voice was softer now, but still held the guttural quality that made it hard to pinpoint. Isabella shook her head.
"Not to worry. Jimmy, why don't you go lie down in my room. I figure Aunt Barb must still be at the hospital, or she decided to have you stay here for the night. I'll get you home in the morning." she said.
"Okay. Goodnight Iz. Thanks for checking on her Batman." Jimmy said, heading for the bedroom. Isabella sighed, facing the vigilante in her living room.
"Thank you for talking to him. Keeping that secret is hard on such a young kid. And Jimmy has always had a strong moral code." she said softly.
"He's a good kid. It doesn't surprise me how easily he can understand what goes on around him." Batman replied. The more she listened, the more Isabella was able to filter out some of the nuances of his voice, but she still couldn't place it.
"I think my uncle might be trying to get you off the most wanted list. He and I had a talk a couple of weeks ago." she said. She heard his armor shift as e straightened.
"He doesn't need to do that. It's for the best." he said, his tone cold, detached. Isabella frowned and stood up, placing her hands on her hips.
"That is the biggest pile of bullshit I have ever heard. You did it to protect Harvey's reputation as Gotham's White Knight? Please. Rachel Dawes was one of my dearest friends. She would have backed up every one of Harvey's cases and him snapping after loosing the love of his life and half his face at the same time wouldn't have let a single one of those cases be overturned. I mean think about it. If it had been you, do you really think you wouldn't have changed? If you lost someone that important to you, wouldn't something about you have to change?" she asked. The room grew deathly quiet, and for a moment, Isabella thought he had left. But then she heard the slightest intake of breath near the window.
"You're right. Something changed." he whispered. Almost all traces of the harsh voice were gone, and Isabella heard the bone deep weariness under it all. Her brain was screaming at her that she knew that voice, but she couldn't think straight, her heart aching for him. Suddenly, she felt a gentle breeze from the window, and she could hear the rain clearly. She moved closer and her fingers found the windowsill, pushing it closed. She turned back to her couch and stretched out, her mind swimming with all she had heard that night.
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The next morning, Isabella woke up to someone knocking on her door. She stood up from the couch, rubbing her neck as her muscles protested her sleeping position. She reached the door and pressed her ear to the wood.
"Who is it?" she yawned, and a familiar chuckle echoed through the door.
"Did I wake you up?" Bruce asked, barely hiding his laughter. Isabella smiled and opened the door, greeting him with a warm kiss.
"I was on the couch. I had to baby-sit my cousin last night." she replied, letting him into the apartment. As he walked past, she caught the delicious aroma that followed him in.
"Everything okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, Little Barbie was just really sick. If I make coffee, will you feed me faster?" she asked.
"What makes you think I have food?" he asked, a teasing tone to his voice. She threw a mock glare in his direction.
"Anybody could smell that wonderful basket in your hands, darling." she replied, moving into her kitchen and hitting the button on the coffeepot. She heard Bruce follow her in, and felt his arms slide around her waist.
"I love it when you call me darling." he whispered, his lips brushing along her earlobe. She smiled slightly, not sure if she was disappointed or happy about his comment. She told herself she was happy.
"I'll call you anything you want if you just kiss me again." she whispered, turning in his arms. She leaned her head back and felt his lips just brush her own.
"Anything?" he teased, and she laughed, her hands sliding around his neck.
"Name it." she replied, smiling widely. His lips receded, and one of his hands came up to brush her hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her cheek.
"I love you." he said, his voice so quiet she almost thought she had imagined it. Her eyes widened in realization and she tugged on his neck, sending his mouth crashing down onto hers. One of Bruce's hands was pressed into the small of her back, and she held onto him for all she was worth.
"EEEWWW! That's gross enough when it's Mom and Dad!" Jimmy's voice cut through the air. Isabella pulled back slightly and they began to laugh, still in each other's arms. Isabella turned her head towards the door.
"Jimmy, this is my boyfriend Bruce. Bruce, this is my cousin Jimmy." she introduced, still in Bruce's arms. She heard cloth rustle, and imagined that Jimmy's arms were crossed over his chest, trying to look like his dad.
Do you love my cousin?" he demanded, his tone very similar to his father's interrogation voice. Isabella clapped a hand over her mouth to hold in her giggles.
"Yes I do." Bruce replied, his tone completely serious. Isabella froze as her memory clicked into place.
"Good. Izzy, can I call mom and see if she can come get me?" Jimmy asked. Blinking, Isabella nodded, trying to get her brain to reboot. She heard Jimmy's footsteps fade, and she turned to Bruce.
"I didn't get the chance to respond, did I?" she asked lightly, pushing her questions aside.
"Isabella, you don't have to say-" he started, but she pressed a finger to his lips, grinning madly.
"I love you Bruce." she whispered, meeting his lips with hers. This kiss was tender, soft and sweet. When they broke apart, she could practically feel him grinning.
"Care to join me for dinner tonight?" he asked, stroking her back with his fingers. She smiled slyly and bit her bottom lip.
"How about we order in?" she replied. This time, she felt his smile against her lips as he devoured her mouth.
A/N:OOOHHHH! Does she know?! Will the Joker be caught?! What could be in store for Isabella?! Review, and I'll update faster!
