"Take me back to the house in the backyard tree, said you'd beat me up, you were bigger than me. You never did, you never did. Take me back when our world was one block wide. I dared you to kiss me and ran when you tried. Just two kids, you and I..."

~ "Mary's Song" by Taylor Swift

When we were kids a really a long time ago as far I am concerned, when we believed in whatever our parents and our teachers told us, when we asked why and how, when our minds were open to the world, when we wanted to explore: Bruce was my best friend. As much as I would like to say 'along with Rachel' that would be a lie. I hated her. I mean I still do... She was just some girl whose parents worked for his. I didn't really care at that age, not as much as I did when I was a teenager. The great divide between social classes wasn't as big of an issue. Why would it be? No one really understands money when they are only a child.

We were playing. As always Rachel was Bruce's main focus. Which left me to stand to the side or read. I always caved, I always pretended that it didn't bother me that Bruce never gave me any amount of attention. But really it broke my heart, it always broke my heart when Rachel was over. I was left alone because I was so much younger and I clearly couldn't understand what games they were playing. Which wasn't true, I was just as smart as Bruce and much more advanced in my schooling than Rachel.

The one day I remember the clearest from my childhood is the day that they were fighting over an arrow.

I left them alone, sitting down on a log in the middle of the forest. Which my imagination has painted a forest where as my adult mind now clearly sees a well maintained forest still on the Wayne Manner grounds. Childhood had a way of distorting my thoughts, now I'm starting to see the past in crystal clear vision... That makes everything less magical.

They payed me no attention which I was used to nor did they play close to where I was sitting. Until the two came running, I looked up quickly from my novel hoping that maybe this was the day that they would ask me to play. Only my thoughts were in vain, they ran right past me. Just as I was about to look down, I was staring at Bruce's face a moment before, he was gone. He had fallen down a hole in the ground that we had never knew was there. A old mine or something. It didn't matter to us kids. It only mattered now when I try to tell the story.

I remember Rachel screaming, I remember dropping my book and running to go and get help.

Why wouldn't you?

It isn't as though a child at that age could jump down the mine and jump back. Or climb down.

Then my memory just gets blurry, I remember asking Bruce's father if I could go down with him. I remember his father shaking his head and putting his hand on my shoulder briefly.

I remember still hearing Rachel the choked sobs of a young child, making my skin crawl even at that age.

I remember that Bruce's mother took Rachel away from the scene. I remember her trying to take my hand and coax me away from where Bruce was. I shook her off and demanded that I stay. I wasn't leaving him behind. I had to stay. I had to watch. I could never leave Bruce. I was attached to him.

Alfred was there, a much younger man with the same sass and bold personality that would seep out at some unexpected moments. He put his hand on my shoulder before talking to Mr. Wayne and helping him get the line to go and get Bruce.

His father brought him up from the "bat cave." A childish name Bruce and I gave it after he told me that the cave was filled with bats. A fear that I overcame the following year, always was afraid of them before. Now to be un-phased.

Bruce's father wouldn't let him out of his arms even though Bruce protested, trying to make himself seem like he wasn't afraid. His dad scolded as I walked back to the mansion with them.

All he had was a broken arm. And a fear of bats...

"So Doctor Crane and you...?" Bruce asks, as we are so only a mile away from his mansion.

He left me alone the whole ride to process the fact that he was back into my life. It's strange for me. Although I don't think I'm thinking of what he thinks I would be.

His sudden question has snapped me out of my remembrance. I quickly look away from the adult male in the seat beside me, I had been openly gawking at him for the whole ride, only trying to find the parts of his face that was there when we were children.

"Are you still afraid of bats?" I avoid his question as I still try and sort out my own feelings about Jonathan. I do have feelings for Jonathan, I did when I met him in college. But Jonathan hasn't given me any inclination that the feelings are mutual whereas Bruce has...

"That has nothing to do with what I asked," Bruce visibly cringes at the mention although trying to hide that very fact.

I sigh and look out the window, "There is no Crane and myself."

"I can't handle the conversation jumping. You used to do this when we were children," he sighs, shaking his head, his mind now distracted with other thoughts. Only I wonder what they might be, I can't ask him like I used to when we were kids.

He would get a distant look on his face and go somewhere, I would so desperately want to join. When I asked him, he would allow me to and the two of us would fade into an absent thought.

"Sorry," I mumble. "I'll answer your questions now."

"You two aren't dating?" He asks me turning into his estate. My eyes widen, wow way to not beat around the bush.

It feels different coming here with him. I used to fantasize that he would be there every time I went to visit Alfred, thinking he would be sitting down in a chair or standing by the door. That he would run to me, collect me into his arms and tell me that he loved me, always had and always will. I couldn't let that memory fade away at first. Only up to this year had I just imagined him standing in the doorway, meeting me half way and hugging me.

"I'm single, I've been waiting," I look over at him and everything in my body wants me to reach out and touch him, just to know that he is in fact real and not a figment of my over active imagination. He beats me to it, placing his hand on my thigh gently, giving it a slight squeeze and removing it quickly. "I've missed you," I say to him, not meeting his soft brown eyes.

He nods not saying it back. I wouldn't expect him to. He wasn't one, at least, after his parents died, to tell those he was close to his emotions.

Bruce shuts off the engine and before I have time to open my car door he does it for me.

"Master Bruce and Mistress Cassandra it's a pleasure to see you both together again," an older British man's voice comments.

I get up out of the car and look at a beaming Alfred standing at the mansion steps. My face stretches into a large smile.

"I'm happy you went to see him before me," I turn my head briefly to face Bruce and then I look back over at the older man.

"I had to," he starts as we walk down the gravel driveway together. "Where else was I going to get the car to drive around with?"

I pause, gaping at his comment. He turns around when he sees I'm not next to him and smiles bringing out his hands openly in what are you going to do with me jester.

"You are horrid," I grin walking a little faster to playfully shove him, he falls a little bit to the side. I keep running knowing that if Bruce hasn't changed he will chase after me and he does. We run up the stairs...

'Thank you for staying and waiting for me to come home,' Bruce smiles looking at me while we walk up the main staircase, a new cast over his left arm.

'You know I always will,' I wink as I walk next to him as equals.

'Rachel left though.' He grumbles, looking down in sadness.

'She was stressed.'

'You're the one that ran to get my parents. Not her,' he answers, a bitterness in his tone.

'I just did what I was taught. It's no big deal,' I shrug my shoulders, trying not to read too much into his words knowing that as quickly as he gives me attention he can and will pull it away.

'Regardless. Thank you.'

We get to the door of his bedroom. I nod and go to turn around, with his not broken arm he stops me.

'Come on.'

'I've never been in there.' I mumble and my eyes meet the floor as always.

'First time for everything.'

I run down the hallway and all the way to his bedroom, where I stop. He throws his arms around my waist, my wavy brown hair being pulled backwards with the force. I feel the instant warm of his arms and feel safety as though no matter where I am, or what I do, those arms will always be there to catch me right before I fall. Just like when we were kids.

"Got you." His laugh fills my ears, his chest rumbles against me, I could get lost in his embrace, that hasn't changed. I put my arms over his, feeling my stomach turn at the feeling of his skin against my own.

"The only reason you did is because I didn't want to go into your bedroom." I argue, turning my head to peek over my shoulder at him, his face filled with an explainable emotion.

He lets me go, "It's just a room." I walk slightly away from him, turning around so that I can face him. "When's the last time you were in here?" He answers his own question, "High school when I had a girl over."

This causes me to roll my eyes, only he doesn't notice as he opens the door and walks through leaving it open for me.

"No," I hesitate, feeling the old uneasy emotion I did when I was younger. I'm not the same girl I was then, only the same emotion still surfaces. "There was one more time," I walk in slowly.

He takes off his cuff links then his jacket that he puts on the wing back of the chair.

"Remind me, what did we do?" He questions moving closer to me, my heart starts to beat wildly in my chest at his sudden proximity.

"I...I think you know," I look down. Not meeting those eyes of his. He lifts my chin up with his hand until I meet them.

"We kissed."

I nod my head. "We were wondering if we could have real feelings for one another."

"Tell me again Cara, what was the conclusion?" He says all of this without a hint of emotion so I have no idea if he is playing me or not.

"You said no," I find my voice.

"What was it for you?" I sigh as if he doesn't already know how I felt.

"I told you no. I lied."

"Well," he leans in and kisses me lightly on the lips, pulling away. "That was a long time ago."

I blink rapidly and swallow, "Very."

My gaze meets his eyes and hangs there. I won't back down on him.

"I don't play fair," he lets my chin go and undoes his tie.

"What are you talking about?"

He just kissed me.. Why did he just kiss me? He still has feelings for me? Why didn't he contact me all those years he was away then...?

"Crane."

Jonathan? What does he have to do with this? Jonathan doesn't like me. I've been trying...

"I told you in the car..." I start to defend myself and my position, only to have Bruce not back down.

"Maybe not for you. But for him. Yes."

"You're wrong Bruce." I scold him, causing Bruce to turn and raise his eyebrows. "Don't be a child," I cross my arms and pout. "Tell me. Have you talked to Rachel yet?"

A darkness sets into his handsome features that he quickly tries to hide, only in vain.

"You know? Rachel. The girl you've had a crush on for years?" I try to keep my voice level only to have it crack at the word crush and years.

"Do people say crush anymore? I thought it was outdated."

I inwardly groan at his nit picking of my word choice and his aversion of my question.

"I don't know. I don't get out much," I cross my arms.

He finishes with the tie, placing it on the table. "I'm going to rest."

Something stops me from walking out the door and leaving him alone.

"I'm going to join you then."