XX.

While the Bat's Away...

Night fell heavily on Gotham like velvet over a black spinel; completely engulfed in silence. Bane's militia set up perimeters around the city; the US Army had been grudgingly enlisted to guard and patrol the city's entrances to stop anybody from leaving the island alongside Bane's professional and vagrant mercenaries. All was quiet, eerily silent; the usually congested streets of Gotham bereft of life seemingly. A ghost town petrified by terror; just like before. What was it about Gotham that seemed to attract this sort of trouble? Lily knew not and frankly didn't care as she rubbed her eyes, blinking away clean hot water. She sighed indulgently as she smoothed back her wet hair; taking pleasure in the warmth of her shower.

Michael had driven her to a 'secure' location; it was a hotel. Fancy, four-star at least, with gleaming marble floors which Lily reckoned she could see her own reflection in, overrun by Bane's army, occupied and commandeered wantonly by the mercs, like black beetles invading a beautiful anthill. Lily had been astounded as she was led through the shiny revolving glass doors, two armoured sentries that guarded each side both nodded to Michael and Lily as they went on in; the plaza was enormous and almost reminiscent of their former home beneath the streets; at that thought Lily shivered; to think the closest thing to home she had ever known was the sewers was slightly disconcerting and depressing.

The plaza's main feature was a creamy marble fountain spouting noisily and irritatingly in the centre, dolphins and half-naked women wept and poured sparkling water all over one another; it was a captivating sight if one cared to admire it. Lily was not such a one and found it rather gaudy and ugly to be perfectly honest, so she ignored it and followed Michael's booming steps as he stalked through the plaza and into the reception which was filled with Bane's patrolling forces. A few nods here and there, Michael ploughed on down the well-lit corridors, throwing curt glances back every once in a while to check that Lily was still following him. He led her to an elevator and pushed the gold-plated buttons to the side of the thick metal doors. The journey up was as talkative as their journey to the hotel; not very. Lily shifted her weight and rubbed her neck, Bane's coat was scratchy and irritating to her skin but the heat it radiated was unparalleled so she refused to shed it.

When finally they reached what must have been the one hundredth floor, the elevator dinged and they stepped out. Lily gasped; all down the halls, mercs stood guard at every door with Pineapples and AK-47s strapped nonchalantly over their shoulders. All gruff, tough looking men. Lily felt nervous walking down the hall between them all, like fresh meat and she could feel their stares; their eyes filled with curio for her profile. Just who was this slip of a girl Bane insisted on carting around? She found herself pressing into Michael's back to shield herself from the mercenaries' inquisitive beady gawps but they all recognised the garment she had thrown about her shoulders, it was just as striking an article as its owner to be fair. After a tense walk down to the end of the corridor Michael stopped and asked one of the mercs, his voice was rough and coarse;

"Where's Bane?"

"Arkham." The mercenary replied shortly.

Lily's chest swelled with fright. Was Bane planning on unleashing the madmen at Arkham like before? Her eyes wide with fear, she wrung her hands and watched as Michael ran a gloved hand over his stubbly face,

"Gone to get that doctor, right? Okay, fine. When he gets back, tell him his girl's here. She's safe."

Lily's brow was set as he turned on his heel and without a word to her left and prowled back the way they had just came. Lily gave a sharp intake of breath and wheeled around quickly, glaring at the mercenary's retreating back. She was at a loss for words, she didn't want people thinking she was affiliated with Bane...but, realistically how could she deny it standing there buried in his overwhelmingly cosy coat? She sighed and consigned herself to whatever role it was she was playing now and turned to the merc whom Michael had left her with; he bobbed his head and said;

"This way,"

With a defeated sigh Lily trudged along after the merc. A fair-haired guy with a skinny neck; Lily eyed the man critically, absently measuring the wiry man against Bane and Barsad even. He did not look very much like a good merc, if his muscles were any indication. She brushed off her harsh criticisms and blew out a breath; she was just desperate to fall into a bed and sleep away this whole day. Tears nearly pricked her eyes when she knew that she would never...could never forget this day. Bane had seen to that indefinitely. Finally they were upon a door, the skinny merc stood to the side and nodded for Lily to push open the whitewashed door; she sucked in a breath when she saw what lay within: cleanliness unmatched. She nearly gawped; the room was simply immaculate, open with so much space and airiness. Stepping inside, Lily turned back to the merc and noticed that he was waiting for her to dismiss him, she bit her lip; why did that fascinate her so? She shook it away inwardly and her face was unreadable, cold as she bore her chin slightly and with an aloof bob of her head jerked the merc away and watched blandly captivated as he closed the door with a quiet click and went off.

After he was gone, Lily pressed her cool fingers to her slightly burning cheek and hissed in a breath,

"Bastard..." She cursed under her breath while tearing off his coat bitterly.

Flinging the coat away from her it landed with a fluffed thud on a little couch that was wedged in between two lamps quite comfortably; she turned away and eyed the rest of the room, a large bed – newly changed and made up with perfection – the lights were twinkly glass droplet contraptions which Lily didn't really care for and she curled her nose at the fairy-light like things and cocked an eyebrow as she peered over to the large half shuttered window and took a few pattering steps over towards it and gazed out over Gotham's dimming skyline.

Stepping into a shower was the best thing Lily had done in weeks. She gasped indulgently as she smoothed her dark hair back. When she was done she wrapped her slight body in a fluffy white towel and bound her dripping hair in another smaller towel. As she was slipping from the bathroom through to the living area she realised that she didn't want to change back into dirty clothes and clicked her tongue in annoyance. She was so engrossed in her mundane trouble she didn't notice someone standing by the door which lead out into the mercenary-filled hall. Lily yelped in fright, clutching her chest and pulling the towel closer, she jumped back and tried to steady her breathing as Bane turned slightly at the sight of her.

"What are you doing here?" Lily asked impertinent, her face reddening.

Bane was gazing casually down at something that was on the table, ignoring her pertness and glowing cheeks. Lily clutched her towel with one hand and balled a fist with the other and blew out a breath raging like a bull and turned her back to Bane, the towel on her head flounced about like an over animated night cap and unravelled itself from her hair and slopped to the floor, landing in a damp heap at her feet and unleashing Lily's mad frizzle of hair. With another hissed curse, Lily whipped round and snatched it from the ground and tried to twist it around her hair again but failing miserably, her hands shaking as they were under Bane's lazy scrutiny. She sighed and let her shoulders fall, leaning back on the lip of a small table, she folded her arms the towel dangling like a useless wet rag from her fingers and eyed Bane coldly.

"What do you want?" She asked him softly, the edge in her voice fading.

He turned an eye on her; she stiffened as they flicked down to her feet and then back up to her face. She shifted, ignoring his eyes and her mouth became a thin line as he shook his head slowly, his mask catching the soft light as he did so.

"You look well," He began.

"So you've said."

Lily snapped back quickly enough and his eye was on her again; this time it took in her stony expression, her folded arms and her rigid shoulders. Lily saw him square his before he said,

"Well enough, your pertness is certainly returned. After the game you seemed a little...peaky."

Her mouth fell open as she glared at him, and her arms fell away from her chest and she snarled unbelievingly,

"Is that supposed to be a joke?! You killed...hundreds-"

"Thousands." Bane corrected her with a nod and strode over.

With her butt against the table Lily had no wiggle room and gasped as he was upon her now, like a wild animal converges on a vulnerable doe.

"And more shall follow. A shame, but necessary."

"Sure, if that's what helps you sleep at night..." She trailed off and looked at him; his eyes were on her cheek.

"Does that hurt?" He asked quietly and Lily's eyes narrowed,

"No, of course not. Feels a million bucks." Her voice was choked with sarcasm making her sound bitter.

She looked away from him and pushed past him gently, her cheeks aflame with shame again. Shaking her head, she hastily wiped her eyes and with an agitated little scream, she threw her hand away from her face and hurled the wet towel to the floor and whirled round; slapping Bane's huge arm; she fumed,

"Why did you do that?! Why are you doing this?!"

Absently as though he were squatting a bothersome fly, Bane gripped her wrist and she abated her assault, her hand coming up to support the towel which was barely hanging off of her frame; his eyes were ablaze as he engulfed her matchstick wrist and glowered down on her enraged face,

"You really don't know?" He enquired calmly, making Lily gasp.

"You of all people don't know. I am revolutionising Gotham, sticking the boot into the corrupt. Judging them as they judged you; the people, the deprived, the starved and frozen."

"Oh, don't get holy, Bane...First you were liberating, now you're revolutionising. I don't buy it. You're just a common terrorist; who blew up a football stadium, killed thousands, destroyed homes and families and murdered a man live on TV to send a message...how is that liberation?"

He let go slightly and she yanked her hand back, the bruise on her cheek bloomed under her rage.

"You think you liberated me? Well you didn't...I didn't need revolution, or liberation...All some people need's a bit of kindness, not to be frightened and bullied by men with guns...You say you'll kill more?"

"Undoubtedly," He commented absently making Lily furious,

"Then I want nothing to do with you. I'm getting dressed and I'm leaving right now-"

"Where will you go?"

Anywhere...anywhere's better than here. The things you do and the way you do them...How can you be so damned casual about what you've done?"

Bane's eyes slid away and she watched as his hand flopped back and patted off of his thigh, he leaned back and eyed her, carefully, cautiously, like he hadn't really anticipated Lily asking him such a thing. Lily's eyes were fiery waiting for his response, her bare chest heaving above her hand that was gripping the towel tightly.

"Casual?" Bane repeated and he shrugged, "I am the dread Gotham needs to pull itself free."

He looked at her, bending his knees slightly to look into her eyes,

"I hope you and your city can endure. Prevail. Your desire to survive moves me...Maybe – hopefully – your city will mirror your own struggle, Lily. If not, then it was a city undeserving of your compassion."

"You're insane." Lily stated flatly, her nose centimetres from his mask.

"You hope we survive? What was the point of saving me if you were just gonna' blow us all up?"

Bane looked away again and Lily frowned,

"You needed hope. I gave you some." He said at last and Lily scoffed,

"No, I didn't need hope. I needed a friend, family, a home...not your misguided crap."

"If that is how you feel," He concurred and moved away slowly.

"You can leave whenever you like, but remember what I told you..."

Lily brow was cocked and she gulped down some fear; she could hear the chime of chilliness in his tone and didn't like it.

"The world and Gotham are identifying its liberators and saviours – you made your bed. I said you could leave back in the sewers, you didn't have to stay. You'll live to appreciate it."

"Oh will I?" Lily sneered, unable to look at him.

"Yes," He nodded. "A link in a chain that can't be broken until I've fulfilled my mission. Until Gotham is saved."

A link in a chain.

Lily's eyes flashed dangerously as they darted over to Bane.

"What are you implying?" She snapped viciously,

"You won't leave. Vagrants know which side their bread is buttered on. You live only on the cusp of my tolerance."

With a ghost of a smile on that statement, Lily's eyes pierced Bane. Dark and enraged, she took in a breath and tried to calm herself and curb the urge which had built up in her to smack him right across his stupid face. Opening her eyes, Bane was still looking at her. With an impudent cock of her head, Lily countered,

"Well, the vagrant who had to do so little to get noticed by her saviour needs to be alone so would you kindly get out."

Marching over to the door, Lily stood by it and almost ushered the big man out. With a stiff nod, he followed her and stopped at the door; peering down on her, he shrugged his big shoulders and enquired – completely off-topic.

"Do you need anything? Food? Clothes?"

Lily gaped and shook her head, annoyance prominent on her face.

"What the hell? One minute you're pushing and shoving me out of the door, the next you're asking me if I need anything? Bane, I was set down in the sewers...what the hell do you want from me?!"

"You were all set to die...People like you deserve to see a new age dawn too,"

His fingers brushed along the pinkish blush which had crept into her cheeks and Lily backed away, turning her head.

"I don't understand you...Bane, why did you save me? Was it just to mess with me? I...I don't even care anymore."

"At first..." He faltered and Lily's eyes widened as she leaned in.

"'At first'?" Lily whispered, her head shaking.

"Hope to me at first seemed to be all you needed...Then I had to fix you, learn about you. See what kind of person used to embody the husk you were..."

"And?" Lily asked, his eyes met hers and he seemed to grow annoyed with her inquisition.

Unsettled again, Lily thought.

"I found that I quite liked your company. You're different...Floating, grasping for anything to keep you from casting adrift. I thought I would extend my hand, help one more before...Before all of this."

"Help one more? So, you help people? Why are you doing this to Gotham? If you're good-"

"Good?!" Bane barked, he seemed amused and Lily stuttered,

"You're interpretation of good is broad. You asked for Barsad to be spared my anger, throwing yourself down before it instead. I remember that because it is one of the best things I have ever seen someone do."

Lily's brow quirked, a stray hair tickled her tender cheek. She ignored it and frowned deeply up at Bane,

"That's the best thing you've seen...? Hasn't anybody ever been nice to you? Shown you some...I don't know, love? Compassion? Kindness?"

"No. For one such as me there is only fire. You ask why I can be so 'casual' towards my mission; to see you stick your neck out for Barsad after all his complaining of you was stirring to me. My liking for you is what's kept you alive."

He said carefully, his hand was tracing her cheek again; his face, close to hers. Lily felt breathless and with no room to back away from him she felt herself squirm, animated by his touch.

"Be kind to me. You won't regret being my ally in the coming months – that, I promise you."

Bane promised, his fingers falling away and releasing Lily so she could breathe normally again. He straightened himself up and squared his shoulders again; looking back down, he gripped the door handle making Lily flinch. Her sudden recoil made him pause.

"Do you need anything?" He asked and Lily sighed,

"Yes...I need some clothes..." She breathed, her eyes averting his.

Without another word, he was gone leaving Lily to simmer alone in her spacious room.