(A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who enjoys the craziness that has become Rose and Bane's new life together! :D I've got plenty of more chapters to post, so stick with me and we'll have some fun with these two! )

4: Escape from the City

-Part 2-

Wow! Our hotel is completely gorgeous. It's an off-white building with rose gardens surrounding the perimeter plus its own pool with a play area for children. Luxury vehicles are sandwiched together in the parking lots around the hotel, speaking volumes of its popularity and customers. Since it's already the middle of the afternoon, I don't see many people around the hotel. Who would want to be cooped up in a hotel all day when there's all of Orlando to explore?

As soon as we step into our luxurious room, I have second thoughts. Who wouldn't want to stay inside such beautiful accommodations all day, draped across the sofas like an Egyptian queen? Our suite has two conjoined rooms, each with their own widescreen televisions, extra fluffy-looking queen-sized beds layered down with blue sheets and soft pillows. There's a cute little kitchen with an island and there's a gorgeous view of the shimmering pool and the city of Orlando below our balcony.

"Wow, this is so pretty!" I squeal as I wander around the room, running my hands over everything I see. Mom really went all out for our little one-week vacation. I have a good mind to grab my laptop and relax on the balcony all day with a cup of iced tea and a bag of microwave popcorn.

"It is suitable for our current situation, yes," Bane agrees in a voice that pales in comparison to my enthusiasm.

"This room is suitable for the president," I counter with a grin as I lay my bags on the bed closest to the door. I'll let Bane have the balcony. He doesn't have the chance to see the outside world much so I'll be generous and let him have full access to it. "You can relax for a bit while I try to figure out what we're going to do next with my mom."

Bane nods and goes over to his room, curiously gazing at the expensive furniture on his way there. I watch him leave before I pull out my phone and call Mom.

She answers quickly. "How's the hotel?" she asks expectantly.

"It's perfect!" I cheer while flopping back on my bed and grinning at the ceiling. "We've got separate bathrooms, a kitchen, and a balcony! I just hope it doesn't cost you much..." I add regretfully.

"I used coupons," Mom assures me, causing me to laugh. "So," she begins, "what do you feel like doing today?"

I kick up my feet. "I don't know! I was thinking maybe we could do the beach tomorrow morning, when it's not so hot. Today, maybe we could just check out the art museum and go out for dinner?" I suggest.

"Okay, Miss Moneybags," Mom teases. "You must think that your little novel has already hit bookstores."

I grin. I know I've never mentioned it, but I'm working on a novel. So far, I only have about twelve chapters typed up on my laptop. One day, fingers crossed, I hope that it will hit bookstores. Until that day, it shall rest peacefully in my laptop.

"We'll meet you at the Gregory Heinstein Art Museum in an hour," I tell Mom before we say our goodbyes and hang up. I sit up and bounce up and down on my bed. I've always wanted to go to an art museum. Art is, to me, illustrated history conveyed to us through vibrant colors and hidden meanings tucked carefully away in a canvas or a sculpture. I can't wait to try and decipher every painting and model I come across. The best part of it all is that I don't have to worry about battling people who want Bane and I dead!

I hop off of the bed and head over to Bane's joined room. After knocking gently on the doorway, I step through the threshold.

I'm shocked to find that Bane is nowhere in sight. I knock on his bathroom door, check under his bed, even in the dressers (you just never know), but he's nowhere to be found.

"Bane?" I call out. No response.

Oh gosh, oh gosh, oh gosh. He's gone. He ran away. I knew that he was being way too compliant with this trip. He hadn't put up the least bit of resistance in coming here with me. He was just eagerly awaiting his chance to slip away from bondage and to run off into the wilderness or wherever he lived before he invaded my personal space.

I grit my teeth together. How didn't I see this coming? I'm such a dope. Did I really think that he was happy living with me in my mediocre apartment, being watched 24/7 with a collar around his neck? Being monitored all of the time has to suck, I know, but it was for his own good. We all just wanted him to remain safe while he was being rehabilitated.

But no, he didn't even want to be rehabilitated in the first place, did he? He probably just wanted a free place to stay and a naïve roommate, namely me. Now, he took the chance and used my naivety to slip out from beneath all of our noses and it's all my fault.

I grip the bridge of my nose and exhale, urging myself not to cry. I'm just about to take out my cell and call Blake to let him know what's happened when I notice a shadowy figure on the balcony. I slowly pocket my phone before approaching the figure. Their form is obscured by the pastel yellow curtains hanging across the doorway, but I'm pretty certain of who it is.

I push the curtain aside and feel a surge of relief when I see that the shadowy figure is Bane. He's standing with his back to me, staring out at the orange horizon, face painted yellow by the bright sun.

Okay. So, he didn't run away. He's here, just enjoying the view and his vacation unlike his paranoid caretaker. I flap a hand in front of my face and feel a relieved grin slide onto my face.

I take a few deep breaths to calm myself down before moving beside Bane. I don't want to let him see how worried and angry he'd unintentionally made me with his disappearing act.

"…It's beautiful, isn't it?" I murmur while resting my arms on the railing and smiling out at the distant sun. It's high in the sky at this time of the day, sending its warm rays down on us from above.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," Bane says in his muffled, tired voice. I wonder if he's having jet lag. He seems sleepy and unusually calm today.

We're silent for a few moments before I speak again. I suddenly feel like a shy child who spilled red paint on white carpet. "I-I'm sorry for mentioning the Batman earlier," I mumble. "I don't know everything that happened between you two but I really didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

"You are forgiven, Rose. No one but me and...the Batman, as you call him, know the full extent of our mental relationship."

I frown in confusion. The way he said it makes it seem like they were quite close. I can't help it. I know it's wrong but I have to tease him a bit since it's obvious he's not giving me any other answers. I puff out my cheeks with laughter.

I interlace my fingers together and lean forward. "I'm sure it was a… meaningful relationship," I cough with a coy smile directed towards Bane. I feel Bane's eyes on me but I look away, still suppressing my laughter.

"Are you implying something, Rose?" Bane questions in a high-pitched voice, sounding ever so confused. It's almost adorable!

"Noooo, of course not, Bane!" I say while playfully slapping his arm. When I see Bane's furrowed brow and displeased glare, I can't help but to throw my head back and laugh out loud.

I step away from the balcony, still giggling. The last of the tenseness from earlier drains from my body, pushed away by the new, glowing feeling inside of me.

"Anyway, you ready to go?" I ask. "We're meeting my family at the art museum in less than an hour."

"Let us be off then," Bane says, although his eyes are still scanning over my giggling face. I'm trying my hardest to battle the giggles but my imagination is running wild. Bane writing love letters, the Batman breaking his heart by sending them back to Bane, unopened, Bane's hardened exterior...Agh, the writer in me can be so annoying at times!

And kind of entertaining.

"Alright, let's go!" I say. We head out of the hotel and I'm still all-smiles. Nothing in this world makes me happier than being around my family. They're the only people I feel completely comfortable around at all times. We fight like every other family but we love each other as well. Years of struggling together against financial problems and circumstantial drama have only brought us closer.

I hope that Bane gets a sense of this and feels at ease around them. I'm so proud of them for being so nice and welcoming to him already. I know they're afraid, both for themselves and me, but they know how adamant I am about this. Although I've felt like giving up on Bane in the past, I'm determined to see this thing play out now, with Bane as a reformed man being the outcome. My family is supportive and I'm happy.

I swing my new car keys around on my finger, feeling happy and carefree. If I knew how to whistle, I'd probably be whistling some cheery tune right about now.

It's just around this time that someone decides to tackle me to the ground.

I'm serious. Someone just comes flying out of nowhere like a Nerfball out of heck and tackles me on the (thankfully) grassy ground. We both end up hitting the grass hard. I catch myself with my elbows, avoiding a mouthful of grass but inadvertently scratching up my elbows. The tackler is right beside me, hands gripping my waist, and refusing to let go!

"What the heck?!" I scream. I twist around and start pummeling the top of my attacker's head. "Get off, you creep!"

What is Bane doing during all of this, you ask? Why, he's standing a mere three feet away, watching me with the same laughing expression I gave him not too long ago.

Karma sucks.

"Ow ow, ouch! Alright, I'm letting go! I'm letting go!" Finally, my attacker releases me. I use this moment to scramble to my feet and back away from the person. I shoot a glare at Bane, who just cocks his head at me, as if he's so confused and helpless in all of this. I've seen the clips on television of him breaking necks and beating people to bloody pulps. Bane could be the world champion in wrestling, if he really wanted to, but refuses to lift a finger in my defense. Psh, some tough guy he is.

The person climbs to their feet, breathing just as hard as I am. I'm shocked to find that the person is dressed in uniform. It's...a police officer?

"What is your issue?" I yell while trying unsuccessfully to brush the grass stains from my pretty palazzo pants. It's no use. My new pants will be officially out of use for the duration of our vacation, thanks to Officer Grabs-a-lot over here.

"Why did you just tackle me?" I ask.

"Sorry, ma'am, but I'm just doing my job!" the officer states while flashing his badge at me, like I can't see the big, shiny badge on the front of his blue uniform. "You were about to attempt to leave the area."

"It's a free country! I can go wherever I want to!" I growl. I'm so angry and embarrassed that my fists are shaking. There are at least ten people standing around bearing witness to this. Some are even snapping photos. Dumb tourists.

"I'm under strict orders from the Gotham City Police Department to watch you and your client here closely. You're not allowed from my sight, ma'am!" the officer explains.

I roll my eyes. Blake. Of course they wouldn't let us go to Orlando completely unsupervised and without surveillance cameras. No, he had to hire this lunatic to stalk us.

"Did they order you to tackle me on sight?" I ask. One would think he would have tackled the more obvious threat first, that threat being Bane. Bane's over six feet of pure muscle and his presence is quite threatening when he's in a bad mood. Maybe the officer was afraid to tackle Bane and decided to go for the easier target, namely me.

"Er, no. They didn't," the officer states, suddenly looking guilty. He scratches under his hat and sends me an apologetic look. "Sorry. I guess I overreacted. We don't have much crime here so when they told me I was dealing with the Bane from the Gotham City Lockdown Crisis, I suppose I got carried away. I'm really sorry, ma'am."

Curse my emotions and their inability to stay mad at anyone for too long. The puppy-dog look on the young officer's face is almost enough to make me forget the tingling in my elbows and my dirty clothes. "It's fine," I say with a grimace. "But, we're just going to a museum. There's no need to tackle anyone."

The officer blushes. "Y-You're right, ma'am. I'm a bit embarrassed now," he admits with a shy smile. "I'm Officer Rolfe, by the way."

"I'm Rose and that's the infamous Bane." I introduce Bane with a small wave in the big guy's direction. Officer Rolfe's eyes widen at the sight of Bane. It's like he's just noticed the giant of a man for the first time.

"H-H-Hello!" Officer Rolfe chokes out while grasping at the nightstick on his waist. "G-Great to, uh, meet you!"

Judging by his shaking hands and wide eyes, I'd say the opposite is true.

"Well, I should really go upstairs and change now," I say after a moment passes. "It's been...nice meeting you."

"You too!" Officer Rolfe calls after us. Bane and I head back to the hotel room. I'm inwardly fuming while Bane remains silent. After ushering him to his side of our conjoined rooms, I begin to change into a new outfit. My new outfit consists of black highwaisted jeggings and a red baggy sweater, since it might be cold in the museum. Nowhere near as tres chic as my other outfit but much more comfortable and durable. You never know when to expect a tackle out of the blue.

I wiggle into my pants, still fuming. "You thought that was funny, didn't you?" I call over to Bane.

"Amusing, yes," Bane calls back in a whimsical voice.

I button my pants and start pulling my sweater over my head. "Well, I'm not laughing," I huff even though I can't help but chuckle. Imagining how the scene must have played out in Bane's eyes, it probably was hilarious. The grass stains on my new pants aren't anywhere near as funny.

I finish getting dressed and grab my car keys from the counter.

"Alright," I say. "Let's go. Hopefully, no one gets tackled this time."

Fortunately, there were no other occurrences where anyone got tackled once we made it to the museum. Mom and the family were waiting for us as promised and we spent the entire afternoon and most of the evening scanning over beautiful works of art. My brother, a true artist at heart, was enraptured by every painting he came across. My little sister loved staring at paintings and finding the artists' meanings behind them. Mom is texting on her cell phone. She's worse than any teenager when it comes to texting.

Bane and I walk together behind my chattering family, studying every art piece we come to. I'm surprised that Bane knows the story behind practically every one of them.

"The Thinker," he's saying, while studying the statue of a man cast in deep thought. "One might wonder what this man was pondering as he sat in such a position."

I run my finger along the smooth metal, although the sign clearly says "no touching displays". I pull my finger back and fold my arms. "I think," I begin, "that he might have been thinking about life."

"Very observant of you, Rose," Bane says, sounding impressed. "Perhaps he was thinking of life. Or perhaps he was wondering about death. Which do you suppose?"

I study the face of the statue by tilting my head from one side to the other. It's hard to tell but he looks serious and a little unhappy.

"Death," I try. "With the expression on his face, he can't be thinking about something as positive as life."

Bane gives a dry, humorless laugh. "The opposite could also stand true. Life isn't always so positive. Many men welcome death. Life can seem like the hard path at times."

"That's a dreary way to look at it but I guess you're right." I know that life can be tough but, in my optimistic mind, it's what you make of it. Sure, terrible things are going to happen, but that's part of life. You remember and savor each and every moment of it, taking the good with the bad. It's all part of living.

I say as much to Bane. He's quiet at first. I can almost see my words rolling around in his brain.

When he speaks, his voice is considering, as if he's trying to make up his mind. "I suppose that's one way to look at life and death. Our opinions seem to differ on this subject."

I feel myself pitying the man beside me. Does he really welcome death or is he just speaking hypothetically? I find myself hoping that he's not really speaking for himself. No one in this world should welcome death when we have such a great thing as a life that's all our own to live.

We study The Thinker a bit longer before we move onto the next art piece.

After hours upon hours of studying art exhibits and listening to the curators speak, we all left. It was later than we thought it would be, so we decided to skip eating out and order food to go.

After picking up our orders of Chinese (one of my favorite types of food), my family and I gather by our cars, ready to head our separate ways for today.

"Remember!" Sis says with a cheerful grin. Her brown curls bounce as she hops from one foot to another. "We're going to the beach, first thing in the morning!" She grins and gives me a devilish look. "Don't forget your bikini, sis!"

Fudge. I forgot all about the beach. Of course, the beach requires wearing a bikini to it, especially if you planned on getting in the water. Unfortunately, I can't imagine wearing a bikini in front of everyone in Orlando! Wearing it in front of my family is hard enough, but in front of everyone who will be at the beach? In front of Bane? Ugh, I already feel my face burning up with shame.

"I won't forget!" I fib with a grin. "We'll meet you guys there around 9 tomorrow!"

We say our goodbyes before heading off to our hotel. Darn it, why can't I look over at Bane while I'm driving? For some reason, the thought of him seeing me in a bikini is completely mortifying. It's not that I think my body will scare him to the point that he runs screaming from the beach (I hope). It's just that...I'm self-conscious about my body and who sees it. Bikinis are risque; you practically bare it all when you throw one on. I'm not that comfortable in my skin to flounce around in the water with barely anything on while people watch me.

Whatever. Forget it. He can look at me however he wants to. I'm going to wear my bikini and be proud for once in my life. If living with a murderous terrorist has taught me anything, it's to be brave even when you don't feel like it.

Once we make it to the hotel, I prepare Bane's IV bag and food before retiring to my room. My phone has been vibrating throughout the night but I was having so much fun, I didn't bother checking it. Now that I'm resting in my darkened room on my fluffy bed, it seems like the perfect time to check.

I'm surprised to see that all six messages are from Tippy, my best friend since elementary. I scroll through them, a happy smile spreading across my face.

Hey, girl. I'll be down at the beach tomorrow to see you and meet this Bane! See you then! :)

I squeal happily and send her a happy "okay!" text back before shoving my phone into my dresser. Tippy is coming down tomorrow! Hanging out with her is always a blast so I know we'll all have fun tomorrow!

Bikini problems aside and happiness in full, I decide to check in with Bane. I cross over to his room and find him sitting up in his bed, staring at the blank screen of the television. It occurs to me that I've never once seen him in a relaxed position. It's like he's always waiting for something to happen and never gives his mind a rest.

How much we actually have in common never ceases to amaze me.

"I think you have to press this 'ON' button here for something to actually happen on the screen," I tease while doing the action for him. A Lifetime movie is playing and it looks like a good one. I sit on the bed beside him with a tired huff, feeling his shaded eyes on me the entire time. He's probably surprised.

"I guess we'll be rebels tonight and stay up past 10," I joke while bundling my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them.

The movie is about a girl being bullied by people she thought were her friends but end up betraying her because of jealousy. She ends up turning to this really cute guy for a shoulder to cry on but, of course, the cute guy is a jerk and spreads even more nasty rumors about her.

"What a creep... It's always the really cute guys who turn out to be the bad guy in these movies," I mumble sleepily from my comfortable spot on the bed. Somehow, I've ended up lying on my belly with a pillow wrapped in my arms. The movie is entertaining; even Bane seems enthralled with it.

"The most vicious people in history are sometimes the best-looking," Bane reminds me.

"Hm...you're actually right about that," I agree tiredly. Ted Bundy comes to mind.

I thought I'd be able to make it through to at least midnight, but I'm losing the battle to sleep. "And a lot of times, the scary-looking people who do kind things are overlooked," I add.

Bane exhales. "This is also true," he agrees in a somewhat melancholy voice. I'm surprised when he keeps speaking to me. His voice is soft and almost delicate, as if he's unsure of whether or not to ask his next question. "You've been much kinder to me recently, Rose." He pauses, his breathing heavy. "Why is this?"

His question takes me by surprise. I've noticed the shift in our relationship as well, but I hadn't expected him to notice it and especially not to comment on it.

"Um," I begin, feeling slightly embarrassed. I shrug and push my thick hair behind my ear. "I guess it's because we've spent more time together. It takes me a little time to warm up to people. Longer than most people, I guess."

"Even terrorists?" Bane asks. The last word rolls off of his tongue like its sour.

I can't bring myself to look at him, even if his words keep surprising me. What's he been doing—reading my diary?

"Well, you're trying to reform, so I wouldn't classify you as a terrorist anymore. I hope you don't think you're one, either."

Bane doesn't reply at first. When he does, I notice that he carefully evades the question. "I don't classify myself in any category. Do you?"

"You? Um...I guess I'd put you in the friend category now."

As soon, as the words are out of my mouth, I feel like snatching them from the air and stuffing them back in the stupid mouth they came out of. Darn it, I didn't want to tell him that! He's probably looking at me like a lunatic now. There's no way I'm looking at him to figure out if he is or not. Ugh, I'm so embarrassed.

"I'm pleased to know that, Rose."

Bane's reply is enough to pull my eyes to him. He's looking down at me with those inquisitive eyes, penetrating into the most buried of souls. I'm glad the room is dark, otherwise he'd probably see my brown skin light up like a firecracker.

The corner of my mouth lifts up a bit before we both go back to watching the movie.

"Ugh, you made me miss a good part!" I wail when I see that the cute guy is now in the hospital. "What happened to the guy? "

Bane just chuckles. I sigh but smile as I let my attention roam back to the movie again.

I can't put my finger on it exactly, but it feels like something in our relationship has changed. Changed for the better.

(D'awww... They're pals now! :D Slowly but surely, Rose and Bane are making some progress in their relationship. I sincerely hope I'm making someone laugh and have a good day with these light-hearted chapters! I love reading stories that get me caught up in them so I hope I can do the same for someone else out there in the world wide web! That's the main reason I put these things up here! :)

Next time, in the exciting conclusion to our three-part special episode, Bane and Rose head to the beach for some fun under the sun! Rose starts to worry about the way her feelings towards Bane have been shifting and wonders if it would be a good idea to distance herself from him. Unfortunately, when an attacker surprises her at the hotel, she might end up needing Bane more than she ever realized...

See you next time!)