(A/N: The finale of the three-part vacation episode is here! It's time for some fun under the sun and Bane's arms! 3 Lol, enjoy!)

Escape from the City

-FINALE-

I hear running water. The sound is enough to pull me out of sleep and out into the real world. I force my body to sit up before I stretch my arms above my head and yawn.

How do hotels make their beds so comfortable? They must be injected with some kind of relaxation formula that makes you want to go straight to sleep when your head hits your big set of pillows.

Wait...pillows?

That's when I realize where I ended up falling asleep at: Bane's bed.

Bane's bed!

I hop off of the bed at lightning speed, squealing like a newborn piglet. I can't believe I fell asleep on Bane's bed! And not even at the foot of it, where I'd been while watching the movie last night, but at the very top of it. Did I move in my sleep? Had Bane moved me there himself? How embarrassing!

And where in the world did Bane end up sleeping? I hear him in the bathroom, which I am glad for. If he ended up falling asleep next to me, I don't know how I would've reacted when I woke up.

Time to make my escape. I scurry across the tight hall that connects Bane's room to my room and bury my head in my suitcases. I know I said Bane and I are friends now, but sheesh! He's still a guy! Waking up in any guy's bed unexpectedly is just weird.

I begin to pull out my beach clothes and lay them out on the bed. I need to do something to get my mind away from what just happened. Beds quickly become a distant memory as bikinis and the beach take their place at the forefront of my mind.

Let's see... I've got a yellow bikini...nope, too much skin. I have no idea why I even packed that. I don't bother taking out the skimpy black bikini I'd been duped into buying from a slick sales associate at a clothing store. It was nothing but a bunch of strings and questionable triangles.

I find the bathing suit I was looking for: a basic one-piece. It was lurking at the bottom of my suitcase, waiting patiently for me to finally break down and choose it. I scan the cream-colored bathing suit, admiring its frilly skirt and low cut. It's simple, not overly revealing, and adorable, in my opinion. Tippy would probably scold me for trying to dress cute instead of sexy, if she were here.

Being "cute" is probably why I'm always friend-zoned by every guy I come across. It's like a curse. If I like a guy, that guy usually becomes my best friend and I become their little sister. It's completely aggravating! It's not my fault that my face looks like a Cabbage Patch Kid!

With a huff, I set aside my bathing suit and look at the vanity in the corner of my room. A pair of big, brown eyes stare back, matched with full lips and a heart-shaped face. I try to pull a sexy face by poking out my lips in a pout. Mission failed. I look more like a lost puppy missing its home.

It doesn't seem as though the curse will be ending anytime soon. As I shed my pajamas and tug on my cutesy-poo bathing suit, I can already hear the "aww's" I'll be eliciting from Tippy as she struts around in her two piece. I envy her confidence.

The water's stopped running so I know that it won't be long before Bane emerges from the bathroom. My hands freeze in the middle of adjusting the top of my bathing suit and my head snaps to the side.

Okay, keep it together, girl. Tippy is your friend. You've fallen asleep in her bed on occasion. That's what friends' beds are for, apparently.

Even Bane's bed.

...Ugh.

I hear the bathroom door swing open on Bane's side of the hotel room, so I hurry and pull on a black sheer kimono and jean shorts over my bathing suit.

"We're going to be heading to the beach in a few so, uh..." I have to pause and think about how to finish my next sentence. Is Bane going to wear trunks? I highly doubt it. He's only ever worn long sleeved shirts and bomber jackets since I met him a month ago.

"Um, yeah, I'm ready when you are," I finish lamely.

"Then I suppose you're ready then," Bane says as he strides into my room. He's wearing his normal clothes, of course, except…minus the sleeves. He's actually wearing a muscle shirt and it looks surprisingly good on him. It's black and tight-fitting. Perfect for a day out at the beach. I always knew that he had great arms under all of those layers of clothes but pal looks more ripped than I imagined (not that I've been imagining Bane's arms in my spare time). I can't help but to ogle at his arms a few seconds more. Bane catches me staring so I have to pretend to have a weird coughing fit and stare at my wiggling toes.

What was I doing again? Ah, right. Last night.

I open my mouth, intent to ask about our sleeping situation last night but the words die on my lips. I'm too embarrassed to ask.

I put on a smile and decide to push the incident from my head. I'm making a big deal over nothing, like usual. "Alrighty, then! Let's hit the road, Jack!" I sing while grabbing my bag and unlocking our door. My bag's filled with extra clothes, a picnic blanket, sunscreen, my laptop, and a few books, just in case Bane gets bored and feels like reading.

As we walk to the car, I'm sure to call Mom and tell her we're on our way and to set up our meeting point. Then, we're off and our our way to the beach. It's a bit of a drive to get to Daytona Beach from Orlando but it will be worth it. I've only been there a few times but it's beautiful.

Fortunately, we don't come across Officer Tackle in the parking lot, which will be my new nickname for Officer Rolfe from now on. Maybe he's off harassing some other innocent pair of bystanders.

A happy, upbeat tune called "Severina" is playing on the radio. The singer is singing in Italian but it doesn't bother me. I love listening to music from different parts of the world. I feel like I'm instantly transported there, wrapped up in whatever mood the music sets me in.

I bounce in my seat, feeling happier than I've felt in a long time. Living in Gotham and being independent is great and all, but nothing beats getting together with the people you really care about. I glance over at Bane. He's looking out of his window. It's hard to tell, but he seems happier as well.

I look back out the front window and smile. Maybe Bane's starting to fall into that category, too. The "people-who-make-me-happy" category.

My hand flickers out and turns the dial on my radio so that the music quiets somewhat. "Have you ever been to the beach before?" I ask Bane. I hit my brakes as some idiot on a bike zooms in front of me. He's oblivious to the string of blaring horns that blast at him as he continues on. I frown at him and then turn and get our car onto the interstate.

"I've been to many places. All over the world, in fact," Bane replies in his eloquent voice. His eyes follow the oblivious biker. "Being in the League of Shadows takes you to the most interesting of places."

I frown after hearing the words "League of Shadows" leave his mask. The League of Shadows was a dangerous group that he really shouldn't be praising. They hadn't gotten him anywhere good, no matter how many extravagant places he was able to fly to.

"I bet they never let you guys actually hang at the beach," I say, deciding to play nice for now. Bane's so tight-lipped when it comes to his criminal past and himself. Any mention of either one and you risked a steely glare and ominous silence, both equally pain-inducing

"If by 'hang', you mean gather together socially..." he pauses to inhale, "I'm afraid the answer is no."

"Are you trying to make fun of me?" I ask while playfully grinning at him. "Hang is the word most people my age use nowadays, old man."

"You still haven't quite figured out my age, have you?"

"As the days go by, the year just seems to keep going up and up," I joke, earning a chuckle from Bane.

"Which only succeeds in proving your immaturity," Bane says. I know he means it as a half joke but I only manage to work a small smile onto my face. With the thought of still being "cute" swirling inside my head, his comment hurt me even though I know he didn't intend for it to.

I decide to change the subject, to make things easier for the both of us. "I can't wait for you to meet Tippy," I beam. My smile falters a bit when I have to press on my brakes again. I tap my fingers against my steering wheel and glare at the rear of a dusty pickup truck. I hate being behind really, really slow cars. I'm no good at passing other cars so it bugs me.

"Tippy," Bane quotes, as if he's testing the word out. "One of your friends, I presume?"

"Best friend," I correct him with a grin. "She's great. I think you two will get along pretty well."

The look on Bane's face is doubtful but he'll see. Tippy can be shy at first, like me, but once you get to know her, she'll have you laughing for hours.

Finally, after an hour of driving and chatting, I see it—that big, beautiful beach landscape I haven't seen in forever. The expansive yellow sand, the blue ocean that spills over the distant sunny horizon, and the colorful kites and parasails dotting the sky all come together to form Daytona Beach. I see the boardwalk, the pier, the waterpark… Can I just abandon the car and start running towards all of the fun?

Of course, there's no way I'm willingly going to abandon Ember (which is the name I decided to give to my rental) so I find a parking spot a in a lot that's not too far away from the sand. Hundreds of other cars are already here. People spill out of them and march towards the water like ants.

I hate crowds! But I love the beach! I'm so conflicted.

I turn off the car and reach down by my legs to pop the trunk. Once I feel the little lever, I give it a tug and a moment later, I hear the click that indicates that the trunk has unlocked. Bane and I climb out of the car and I get my bag out of the compact trunk.

"I hope we can find my family with all of these people here," I tell Bane as I shut the trunk. I pull on my floppy straw hat and slip on my dark sunglasses. We join the throng of people heading for the sand and follow after the sweaty backs, giggling kids, and the smell of sunblock. Bane garners a lot of attention, but nothing threatening. His confident gait and admittedly nice physique earns him a few flirtatious glances from some of the women. Meanwhile, the men and kids ogle at his mask, sometimes uttering out an awed "Cooool, dude."

I smirk and nudge Bane with my elbow. "Aw, they like you!" I coo. "See? I told you the people down here are much more laid-back than the people back home."

Bane doesn't seem convinced, but he does look just the smallest bit surprised that no one is throwing him hate-filled grimaces and tugging their children away. Some of the kids even dare to run around him and ask about his mask. Bane just watches them, seeming only a little annoyed.

I think it's cute, actually, but I decide to nicely urge the kids away once we get closer to the beach. The kids giggle and go back to following their parents, who seem as eager as I am to get to the water.

My cell phone vibrates as soon as our feet touch sand. I retrieve it out of my bag and glance at it. It's Mom.

"Hello?" I answer.

"You guys here yet?" Mom asks.

"Yup, just got here." I look around and spot the small amusement park near us. "We're near the Joyland Amusement Park, by the boardwalk. Where are you guys at?"

"We're near Lisa's Gift Shop. I think I see the park. Meet us over there."

Mom hangs up. I slip my phone back into my bag. I fill Bane in as I begin to take off my sandals. "They should be nearby," I say. "We can start walking towards the amusement park but let's stay on the sand, okay? I love walking on the beach."

"If that is what you wish for us to do, then so be it," Bane complies.

I slip off my sandals and let my feet sink into the cool depths of the grainy sand with an ecstatic sigh. I so missed the beach. If only we could fly down here every weekend, I think I'd be the happiest girl alive.

I feel Bane's gloved hand grab my shoulder. I look up at him and see that he is gesturing towards a small group in the distance. I peer closer. A bright grin takes over my face when I see my family, along with Tippy, waving us down from over by a small ice cream vendor on the sand.

"Hey!" I squeal excitedly while taking off down the sandy shore towards them. Bane casually strolls after me. He's not breaking a sweat, no sir. That would be against Bane Policy.

Tippy and I collide in a flurry of hugs and words.

"I missed you so much!"

"You look so different!"

"I have so much to tell you!"

We giggle after we're done squealing questions at the other's face and hug again. I pull away first and grin at her cute red two piece.

"You look great!" I compliment her. And does she! Her small frame looks amazing in the vivid red strapless bikini she has on. She's changed in the few months since we've seen each other last but some things never change. Her complexion, a caramel shade of light brown, pairs nicely with the red bikini. Her slightly slanted green eyes remain the same but the short haircut is new. Her dark hair falls just past her ears now, giving her the appearance of a mature businesswoman. It looks great on her.

"You look so cute!" Tippy says, grinning at me. I try my hardest to keep my smile from faltering. Just what I didn't want to hear. I don't mind being called cute; but it can get annoying hearing it constantly.

"You'll look hot once you lose those granny shorts and whatever that flimsy thing is," Tippy says while eyeing my kimono like it's a horror movie icon come to life. "Who are you trying to hide that body from?"

I swat Tippy's arm and laugh. I'm glad my family has yet to catch up to us so Tippy's words only reach my ears.

Tippy suddenly looks up and smiles. "Let me guess. You're trying to play Miss Shy and cover the goods for later for this guy, right?"

Cover the...later...this guy? It takes my mind a stuttering second to wrap around Tippy's words. Once my mind pieces two and two together, my eyes nearly pop out of their sockets. I know what she's talking about and whom she's referring to. I can already feel his presence beside me.

"And to whom are you referring, my dear?" Bane questions from his position standing beside me. He holds his hands in front of him and gazes down at Tippy. I can see it in his eyes; he's already sizing her up, picking out her strengths and weaknesses, figuring her out bit by bit.

Tippy opens her mouth to answer but I slap my hand over her lips and send Bane a wide, plastic grin.

"Oh, sh-she's just being silly!" I chortle. "Tippy, this is my, um, roommate, Bane. Bane, this is Tippy. We've been best friends since the fourth grade."

Tippy gives Bane her biggest smile and shakes his hand. "Hi, Bane. I've heard a lot about you from my girl here."

Bane raises his eyebrows while shooting me a curious look. I ignore it and try to look elsewhere. Tippy is forever trying to match me up with guys, be they completely insane or a previous terrorist that is a great deal older than me.

"Likewise," he finally replies to Tippy.

My family makes it over to us right then. Bro is holding a heavy cooler while Squirt sports a bag and an adorable pink frilly two piece. Mom is layered down in her wide-brimmed sunhat, which looks like it could shade two countries. Protection first, that's Mom's motto.

"Hey-o, family-o!" I greet them. I'm already laying out the checkered picnic blanket I brought along.

"Aw, no fair!" Squirt cries. She gives my bathing suit the evil eye. "You bought a new bathing suit!"

"Yep, I did," I say with a proud spin. I'm still layered in "granny clothes", as Tippy called them, but I'm happy with my choice of bathing suit so far.

"We have to go shopping for me later," Squirt begs. "I'm wearing the same bathing suit I wore the last time I came here. Please?"

I sigh. It's always so hard to say no to little sisters.

"She can take both of us shopping soon," Tippy cuts in, a devious smile spread across her face.

I give a dry laugh. "Do I look rich to you two? Right now, I just want to get in the water!"

Everyone, besides Bane, cheers in response.

Okay, I have a confession. I can't swim. At all. I've tried floating on my stomach, on my back, doggy paddling, but none of it's worked out. That still doesn't stop me from going as far as I can in the water without my head going under while at the beach.

Squirt, Bro, and Mom race off to the water, ready to beat the heat by getting wet. I still need to change out of my clothes.

"Come with me to get changed?" I ask Tippy. I point out a red and white tent used for changing clothes that's just a few yards away from.

"You can't pull it off here?" Tippy asks incredulously.

I give her a withering look before pointing to my straps, or rather, my lack of straps. I've had a few mishaps at the beach where parts of my body were exposed due to a wardrobe malfunction. I did not want to risk that right now, especially not with Bane's curious eyes flickering between us. I freaked out over waking up in his bed. I don't know what I'll do if something like that happens. Probably spontaneously combust.

"You need to stop being so shy," Tippy teases while we scurry off to the changing booth. "Bane would have probably appreciated the show."

The thought is so absurd that I'm forced to laugh out loud. "Ew. You can travel right back up that river you just traveled down." I bump her with my hip. "And me grunting and fighting with my zipper is not seductive at all."

I go into the empty tent and quickly peel off my already sweaty outer clothes. I wish they'd install mirrors in these things. I didn't get much of a chance to see how I look with my bathing suit on. I tried it on at the store but clothes seem to magically change in size the moment you bring them through your front door.

It feels comfortable, though, and that's what matters. I pull my hair to the top of my head and clasp it into a messy bun before sliding my patterned sunglasses on. I step from the changing booth and give Tippy a spin.

"Ta-da!" I sing.

Tippy claps her hands and gives a low whistle. "Okay, that looks much better," she says in a truthful voice. "Now... let's get in the water!"

We share a laugh before racing towards the waves, eager to cool down in the deep, blue water. I stop by to check on Bane before I get in. Tippy keeps going.

I squat beside him and lift my sunglasses upwards so I can see him better. "Are you sure you don't want to get in with us? It's really hot out here," I remind him, as though he needs to be reminded. It's over 75 degrees out here and I'm pouring sweat just looking at the dark pants Bane is wearing.

Bane waves me on. He looks tired. I feel a pout forming on my lips but I guess there's no point in pressuring him to get in. If he doesn't want to get in the water, he doesn't have to.

I reach behind him and grab a few books from my bag. I hand them to a surprised Bane.

"I figured you might want to catch up on your reading while we're here instead," I say with a smile. Bane scans the books before tilting his head to look over at me.

"Thank you. These will do nicely."

"You're welcome. I wish you could come out with us, but I'll be out soon," I tell him before straightening up and jogging towards the welcoming water. Mom is already out and heading towards Bane. Her hair is dripping wet and she's laughing. My mom's laugh is one of those laughs you work hard to get out of her. It's one of those full, belly laughs that make you want to join in. She must really be having fun if she's laughing like this.

"You're already getting out?" I ask her as we stop within three feet of each other.

"I think I want to join your friend and read a book instead of dealing with those three," Mom jokes while gesturing towards Bro, Squirt, and Tippy. They're all laughing and splashing one another with the salty water.

I can't help but wonder what kind of conversation Mom is going to have with Bane. Knowing her, she's going to ask all kinds of embarrassing questions regarding yours truly. I'd rather not stay around for that torture so I continue on to the water, telling Mom to have fun.

We play in the water for over two hours, splashing one another, telling stories, seeing who could go the farthest out (preferably without drowning) and giving one another ridiculous dares. Even from our distance, I could feel Bane watching us. I wonder just what's going through his mind as his eyes focus in on our group.

The sun is finally out in full display, rudely interrupting our time in the water. We trudge up from the water, laughing and dripping wet, driven out by the burning sun above us. Mom has already set up the food and I'm utterly surprised to see that she brought an IV bag already filled with food for Bane. He looks just as shocked as I am.

"You remembered about Bane?" I ask incredulously as I plop down by him.

Mom smiles and nods, as if it were obvious she would remember Bane's special eating arrangements. "Of course! You told me about his diet a few weeks ago, remember?"

I nod. I remember telling her but I hadn't been expecting her to actually remember. Mom wasn't a big Bane fan but I see that she might be having a change of heart after spending some time with him. She even pats his knee as she goes back into telling him about the other spots around Orlando.

Everyone begins chatting as Squirt passes everyone their sandwiches, chips, and water bottles. It's really nice having the people I care about most all gathered here together, laughing, smiling, and having fun.

I busy myself getting Bane's bag and needle ready. Ever since the first time I stuck in his IV, Bane has entrusted me to do the somewhat difficult task of plunging the needle into his skin. I'm much better at it now, especially after doing a bunch of Google searches on feeding people through IV. I don't even squeal when the needle enters his skin.

Okay. Maybe I do squeal, just a little.

"How's your highly entertaining book?" I ask while rolling his sleeve up. I'm sure to alternate between his arms now, to avoid permanent scarring from using the same injection site over and over. "About foreign government and politics from the 1940s?"

"It's quite the fundamental read," Bane informs me. He pauses to wince a bit as the needle enters his arm. "I also enjoyed the book you've started on your laptop.

I freeze, keeping my hands wrapped around Bane's lower arm. "Y-You mean my book? The one I wrote?" I ask in a small voice. Darn it, how did he hack into my laptop when it has a password? Maybe I should consider changing it to something other than 123password123…

"Yes," Bane says. His eyes land on my face, causing me to lower my head and brush some of my fallen, wet hair behind my ear.

"You are a wonderful writer, Rose," he finishes in a low voice.

I can't fight away the smile his words bring to my face. I battle with getting my eyes to stay on him and not the sand.

"Really?" I ask carefully. When he nods, the corner of my mouth lifts a bit. "Thanks... That means a lot, coming from someone as smart as you."

"As smart as I?" Bane questions. I can hear the smile in his metallic voice. I wonder if he knows how strange his voice sounds compared with his looks. For a huge guy like him to possess such a beautiful, eloquent voice is simply mystifying to me.

"Well, now you're embarrassing me!" I laugh while covering my face with my hands. I hear Bane's rusted laughter echoing mine. I uncover my face, still grinning. "Yes, as smart as you. You are very intelligent, Bane. You know every answer on Jeopardy!"

Bane's voice is dry and unimpressed. "Thank you. Quite the compliment."

I laugh again and go back to looking down at his arm. I recently bought medical bandages so that a person could tie the needle down and Bane wouldn't have to hold onto it the entire time. I wrap the bandages carefully around his arm, making sure it's not too tight.

"You know what I mean," I mumble, still hard at work on wrapping his arm. I spare a glance up at him, smile, and then look back at his arm. "Your compliments do matter to me."

"Beneficial to know," Bane murmurs. "But perhaps you should take the time to compliment yourself more."

I finish with his arm and sit back to give him a curious look. "What do you mean?"

"You have a hard time believing others when they say good things about you because you never say good things about yourself."

Hot dang. Am I still on the beach or in Dr. Phil's new beachfront office?

But still, his words ring true. For as long as I can remember, I've never really felt that confident about myself or the things that I do. I've always seemed to need some sort of affirmation from an outside source, just to make absolute sure that what I was doing was correct. My writing, myself… I guess I can't say that I've been too proud of either one lately. Now that Bane's brought it to light, it's hard to say that his words are untruthful.

I could just brush off his statement with a joke like I always do, but he hit me way too deep to do that. Besides, it's not every day that I get a chance to talk about something like this with Bane or anyone else, for that matter.

"Yeah…. Yeah, you're right," I admit. "I've never really been too proud of anything I've done, actually."

I expect Bane to have lost interest by this time, but he still seems intrigued.

"Why is that?" he asks.

Before I can answer, a new voice breaks into our intimate conversation, bursting our private bubble like a pin.

"What are you two talking about over there?"

I look over and find everyone at our picnic staring at us. Bro is the one who spoke. He's wearing that "protective-big-brother-face" again, the one where his eyes look all crazy. His skinny chest is puffed out and his arms are folded across it. Someone ought to break it to him that he resembles the Genie from Aladdin.

Realizing that I'm sitting maybe just a tad too close to Bane, I scoot over and fix everyone with an oblivious grin.

"Chatting. About, um... Gotham stuff," I lie. Tippy has a strange, little smile on her face, one that looks to hold a million secrets.

Hopefully, none of them are mine.

"Whatever," Tippy hums. "Whenever you two are done chatting, we're going to hit up the boardwalk and see if we can find anything worth buying and any guys worth a second glance."

Bro looks disturbed. "Those are two things I'm not really interested in doing," he mutters. Suddenly, he perks up. "Bane, we should stay here and talk. Just you and me. We'll let the girls go on their own."

Uh-oh. Sounds like Bro's about to pull an embarrassing questioning session about his younger sister. I don't want to be around for that, so I hurriedly finish my sandwich and shoot to my feet.

"Shopping!" I declare between desperate chewing of turkey bits. "That soundsh completely amaz-shing. Let'sh go. Hurry, hurry."

I usher Tippy, Squirt, and Mom away from the boys before Bro can say another word. I glance back at Bane and give him a small grin. Bane nods back and then turns to listen to whatever Bro is saying.

I wish we could finish our conversation, but maybe another time.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

After an afternoon at the beach and an evening of shopping at different stores, it's time that we all head our separate ways. Mom, Bro, Squirt and I make plans for meeting up tomorrow, this time at an amusement park. They head off to the parking lot, toting shopping bags and coolers.

I help Tippy pack her dozens of shopping bags into the trunk of her red Altima and then we proceed to hug and cry. She promises to visit me again, this time in Gotham. For now, she's heading back to Keystone City, where she majors in Mathematics at the prestigious Keystone University. I promise to visit her there one day and then we hug some more and cry some more.

"It was nice meeting you, Bane," she says after we break apart. She reaches out her hand like she's going to give him a handshake, but instead swats his arm.

"You better take care of my girl," she threatens. "I hear you ever hurt her or let something bad happen to her and I'll personally get the Flash to run down to Gotham City and kick your butt."

I facepalm out of embarrassment, but Bane doesn't seem fazed by her threats.

"Duly noted," Bane rasps. "May you have safe travels back home."

Tippy smiles and gives me a little wink. "Bye, bestie. Glad to see you're doing okay."

She gets in her car after that, hits out a catchy tune with her car's horn, and then flies off down the road. She nearly hits three angry pedestrians, a dog, and five cars, but she looks as if she's safely on her way to Keystone City.

I wave after her for as long as I see her car, then let my hand drop back to my side. After giving a contented sigh, I look up at Bane.

"So… What did you think?"

Bane stares out at the city, arms folded, a brooding expression on the exposed parts of his face. "Today was a new experience for me. Your family and friend were much different that I imagined them to be."

"What were you imagining?" I ask.

We start walking down the beach, parallel to the water. Our car is parked further down the beach so I figured it would be nice to walk along the sand. My sandals dangle from my fingers and my kimono flutters behind me in the cool wind that appeared when the moon rose. That same moon reflects on the shimmering, dark waters, like a white portal that would take you to a different world if you jumped into it.

"I imagined…." Bane pauses. "…Differently. I was pleasantly surprised."

I smile. "Good. I wanted you to have a nice time today."

We walk along in silence. The crowd has thinned out dramatically since this morning. Only a few people dot the beach here and there. Some stretch out on their colorful towels, eyes on the moon. Some decide to walk the beach like Bane and I. Couples have their fingers intertwined and cast bashful smiles at one another from time to time.

I wrap my arms around myself as another gust of cold winds pushes past me. Any water that lingers on my body seems to turn to ice. I shiver. What I wouldn't give for Bane's humongous bomber jacket right about now.

"A-About earlier," I utter between teeth that chatter and clink together like ice in a glass of water. "Thank y-you. You're right. I don't really give myself many compliments and I don't really know how to take one, either. I know that I should, but it's h-hard."

"Something occurred in your past?" Bane questions.

I nod. "S-Something like that. I've been like this for as long as I can remember. I just… wish I could be as confident in myself as you always are."

If I had half the confidence that Bane has, life would probably be a lot easier.

"Every man has confidence and courage stored somewhere in his inner being. It simply takes time, patience for it to make itself known."

"A-And compliments?" I ask shyly. "Complimenting yourself?"

Bane nods at me, a proud look in his eyes. "Yes. You can start there."

I rub my goosebump-ridden arms and focus on my sandy feet. I wiggle my lips from side to side as his words sink in. Compliment myself. I can do that.

"I'm…a pretty okay writer," I mumble to the sand.

"Good, but I believe that you can do much better than that, Rose," I hear Bane's scratchy voice reprimand me.

I squeeze my arms. "I'm pretty awesome at making omelets?" I try.

"Is that a question or a statement?"

I laugh a little. "A statement. No, a fact." I give a snap of my fingers and bob my head around. "Bobby Flay has absolutely nothing on my cheese and spinach omelets."

Bane chuckles now. "I believe that you're beginning to make progress."

My cheeks are warm from laughter now. "Thank you. That actually felt pretty good." My laughter slowly passes. I start to play with the stringy ends of my kimono. "You know," I begin. "I never imagined that you'd be this much fun to talk to. I never would have thought that we'd be friends now. A college student and a man that used to be a terrorist. Crazy, right?"

Bane glances at me, then back in front of him.

"I suppose that stranger things have occurred," he surmises.

"Maybe." I grin up at the indigo sky as I replay the perfect day we've had in my mind. When I look back in front of me, I notice something sticking out of the sand a few meters away.

"Oh! Look at this!"

I dart ahead of Bane and stoop down beside the shiny object. Bane walks up behind me and watches as I begin to push the sand around it aside. Once it's uncovered, I reach my hands into the hole and pull out a smooth sand dollar.

"It's a sand dollar!" I declare. I brush the rest of the sand away from the deceased creature's white shell and beam at my find. It's not a very big one, only about the size of a compact mirror, but it's in great shape. The flower-shaped pattern on its back looks almost perfectly symmetrical.

I climb back up to my feet and hold the small shell out to a surprised Bane. "Here, you take it," I offer. "A reminder of our first day at the beach together."

Bane eyes my face and then lowers his gaze to the sand dollar clasped between my fingers. Hesitantly, he reaches out and takes the shell from me, fingers brushing slightly against mine as he does so.

Bane studies the sand dollar intently. He rolls it around with his enormous fingers, dark eyes parading over the intricate patterns on its smooth surface. I listen to the distant sound of waves lapping against the sandy shore and wait for Bane's verdict on his gift.

Once his examination has finished, he pockets the shell and nods at me. "I thank you, Rose." He sounds almost unsure, like he doesn't know what to think of the gift. Or maybe he doesn't know what to think of the fact that I'm the person giving him the gift.

"Your gift is very much appreciated," he finally states.

The longer that Bane stares at me, the harder it gets to keep looking into his eyes. Finally, I'm forced to look away.

In that moment, I have to ask myself: what in the world am I doing? Bane is…used to be…a criminal, a man capable of snapping another man's neck with just a flick of his wrists. What am I doing, giving him gifts and hanging out on the beach with him like we've been friend for years?

I can already see the judgmental faces of the citizens of Gotham, glaring down upon me.

I told myself that I didn't want to put myself on the other side of the line, the side where Bane stands. I just wanted to be neutral, a small but useful barricade between him and the people that hated him. But I didn't want to be on his side and I can feel myself sliding that way as my feelings towards him begin to shift. As cowardly and stupid as it sounds, I don't want to be on the same side as someone that the world hates. I don't know if I'll be able to handle having as much hate as he endures tossed onto my back, too. Besides, all of that panic he caused in Gotham City affected my life as well. I shouldn't be forgiving him this easily…right?

So, that's why I take two steps away from him. That's why I put a big, fake smile on my face and clasp my hands together behind my back.

"It's no big deal. Just a souvenir, right? Now, let's hurry up and get to the car."

I can tell that Bane notices the sudden change in my mood and tone by the way his brow lowers and his eyes narrow. Before I can see any more of the confused look on his face, I speedily walk past him and hurry towards the parking lot. I can hear Bane plodding after me but I don't look back. I don't want him to see the angry tears in my own eyes.

I can see Ember patiently waiting for us in the distance, still parked in the lot that we left her in. After I toss our belongings in the backseat, Bane and I get in the car.

I let out an exuberant breath when I turn on the heater and hot air flies out of the vents like the breath of life. I shimmy in my seat and put my hands near the vents like they're the flames of an open fire. I can feel Bane's amused gaze on me, but I don't say a word. I don't trust myself at the moment.

Once I've warmed up, it's time to head back. We make the long drive back to the hotel, the only sound accompanying us being the steady beats of Fergie's "Meet Me Halfway." Bane hasn't made any attempt to start a conversation with me and vice versa. I'm scared to speak, scared to become any closer to Bane than I've already grown. I feel horrible because Bane hasn't done anything wrong. It's me, being a coward as always. Me, not wanting the world to hate me. Bane just has to be the one to suffer because of my weakness.

The hotel is dead silent when we arrive. The lamps around the buildings are bright but the windows of all of the rooms remain dark. We walk up the flights of stairs it takes to get to the door of our hotel room, neither of us making a sound.

I give Bane my best smile and hold out the card key for our room. "Here. You can go ahead and go in. I'm going to go get us some more ice from downstairs," I tell him. Bane takes the key and gives me a solitary nod before swiping the card and disappearing inside of the room. I stare at the door for a few moments before spinning around and heading for the ice machine.

Whoever decided on the location for the ice machine should have been immediately fired. It's in the basement, where it's already cold enough to form tiny icicles on the ceiling. I climb down the stairs into the darkened basement, guilt weighing my entire body down.

I'm shouldn't be treating Bane like this. Yes, he did a lot of bad things but he hasn't done anything to me personally. I like being around Bane, for the most part. It's fun trying to figure him out and make him laugh. His past may have been a dark one but aren't I supposed to be helping him to make his present better than his past?

I come to a decision as I hop down the last two steps. I can't let others control my beliefs. I think that Bane is a changing man. I think that he is leaving behind all of the bad stuff that happened in his past and trying to move forward. I don't care if I'm the only person in this world to believe that. And if that means putting myself on the other side of the line, then so be it.

There. It's decided. I'm going to continue being nice to Bane and I hope that we will continue to grow close and become even better friends. Once I make it back to the room, I'll make us both smoothies as a peace offering and we can watch another movie. I get the feeling he's a big action movie fan so I'll see if I can find one on cable tonight. I love a good superhero movie myself.

As I dig the ice out and pour it into one of the plastic bags provided, I get a strange ominous feeling, as if someone's watching me. I empty a shovelful of ice into the bag and glance around. It's dark in here. Someone could be hiding in one of the corners and I'd never know it.

Stop it. There's no one down here but me. I go back to getting ice. I'm almost done when I hear the unmistakable sound of footsteps. I only have time to turn halfway around when a hand clamps over my mouth and I'm shoved up against the wall.

"Hello there, ma'am," a voice breathes by my face, sending breath reeking of alcohol into my nose. As my eyes adjust to the darkness, I'm surprised to find myself staring into the slitted eyes of Officer Rolfe AKA Officer Tackle.

I try to scream but his hand only tightens over my mouth, to the point where my teeth dig into the inside of my lips and draw blood.

"Now, now," Officer Rolfe says in a teasing voice. The innocent, puppy-eyes are gone and are replaced by a hazy anger. "It's late. No need to wake up the entire hotel by screaming."

I glare at him, trying desperately to squirm out of his grimy grasp. To be so small, Rolfe is incredibly strong. He has me held firmly in place against the wall with just one arm. I can barely move a muscle.

"You and your little terrorist thought you could hide out by coming to our part of the country? What makes you think we want you here?" he growls. "You're housing a criminal, one that's killed more people than a person can count and planned on killing more. He's probably planning on killing more people and yet here you are, trying to protect him from the world."

I summon all of my strength and swing out a leg. My foot catches his knee and he drops me with a pained cry. I scramble away from him and try to make a run for the stairs but he dashes in front of me, blocking my only escape route.

I slowly back away from him. I could go back on my decision and tell Officer Rolfe that I'm against Bane, that he's a monster, and then maybe he'd leave me alone. But I won't go against him, not now.

"He's changed," I tell him in a pleading voice. "He hasn't hurt a person since he's been under my care."

"He hasn't changed!" Rolfe yells. "He killed innocent people and now he gets to get off scot-free?" My heart nearly stops when I see Rolfe pull his gun from his waist and aim it at my head. There's a wild look in his eyes. It's the look of a man ready to lose it all. He's going to shoot me.

"Please don't do this, Officer Rolfe," I say, trying to stay calm but I'm already crying. I shake my head back and forth. "Please, just give Bane a chance. You'll see his true colors."

I hear the gun's safety click off. My breath catches in my throat.

"Let's see what the world has to say when it hears about how Bane turned on his poor, little caretaker and shot her dead by the ice machine of an upscale hotel." Rolfe smirks. "I'm sure the world will see his 'true colors' then."

A new voice speaks, one wrapped in rumbling thunder and as whimsical as poetry.

"Not before the world sees yours, I'm afraid," Bane says. Somehow, the tall masked menace has materialized directly behind the officer. Rolfe doesn't even get the chance to turn around before Bane grabs his head and slams it against the concrete wall to his left. Rolfe stumbles around some but one more slam against the wall from Bane's powerful hand does the job. Rolfe falls to the ground like a deflated balloon. His gun clangs against the ground but fortunately doesn't go off.

I stare at the dropped gun, tears still streaming down my face. My eyes cut over to a passed out Officer Rolfe before crawling up to meet Bane's eyes.

"B-Bane...how did you know?" I ask in a breathless voice as I lean against the wall behind me and grab my forehead. Everything is swimming right now. I feel like the world is a spinning ballerina and I'm a speck of lint on her dress, hanging on as tightly as I can.

"I noticed him following you from the balcony," Bane explains as he continues to watch me from his far distance. He's nothing but a dark outline in the room.

I can already feel more tears burning in my eyes. I can't believe Bane just saved my life.

"...I'm sorry..." I sputter while pushing the palms of my hands to my face in an attempt to keep more tears from falling. I shake my head. "I thought we'd be safe here."

I expect him to begin scolding me, to tell me how foolish it was to walk around at night alone, of how weak I am.

But he does none of those things.

"Are you injured?" he asks instead. I lower my hands and look up, trying to focus on his figure through eyes blurred by tears. The sight of concern coming from the man who I used to be terrified of is almost more shocking to me than being attacked by Officer Rolfe.

"No, I'm…I'm fine," I reply. I swipe a wet hand over my bleeding mouth and nod a little too vigorously. The lingering trepidation causes my hands to tremble violently as they knock my hair out of my face.

I hear Bane's boots slap against the cement as he approaches me. He stops a few feet from me. I focus on his dark boots, still trying to come to terms with what just happened. My life could have just ended.

My eyes shift over to Officer Rolfe, who is lying motionless on the ground.

"This is gonna be hard to explain to the hotel management," I say with an emotionless grin in Bane's direction. My expression immediately turns serious. "I don't think we can stay here any longer, anyway. He'll probably be calling his buddies for backup as soon as he wakes up."

As soon as I finish my sentence, my phone rings. Bane and I share a look before I bring my phone to my ear.

"Hello?" I greet whoever is on the line with me.

"Rose? It's Detective Blake."

I smile, despite the circumstances. It's always nice to hear from the good detective, even though he rarely brings me good news. "Hi, Blake. How are things in Gotham?" I decide not to mention the officer sprawled out on the ground near my feet.

Blake's words surprise me. "Not good," he says in a serious tone. "I'm going to need you and Bane on the first plane out of Orlando and to head back here. It's bad."

My hand tightens around my phone. "What do you mean?"

"I don't want to talk about it over the phone, Rose. I think it's best if you two got back here and saw everything for yourselves. I've already arranged a flight for you two tonight."

I inhale and exhale, trying to calm my shattered nerves. "Okay. We're leaving now." I end the call and look at Bane, who looks concerned. "That was Blake," I explain. "Something's happened in Gotham. He wants us back there now."

Bane doesn't ask any questions; he just nods. We start back to our hotel room to pack.

On our way back downstairs, I can't help but pause to make sure that Officer Rolfe is still breathing. I don't want a murder on either of our hands. Fortunately, he is still breathing, so Bane and I leave quickly.

I'm on the phone as we head towards my rental car.

"Hey, Mom," I greet my sleepy mother.

"Hey, why are you calling so late?" Mom yawns.

"Well," I hesitate, afraid to tell her what's going on. "Bane and I have to leave," I finally admit.

Mom's voice is shocked. I can hear her bed moving as she turns on her lamp and sits up. "What? What's going on?"

"Something's happened in Gotham City and the police want us back there."

"Did they say what?"

"No, they want to wait until we're in Gotham to tell us, for whatever reason. Bane and I are on our way to the airport now."

Mom breathes a heavy sigh. "Okay, hun. You two be careful out there. I'm praying for you."

I smile and lean against the side of the car while Bane surprisingly helps out by placing our bags into the trunk. "Thank you, Mom. I love you guys. We'll visit again soon."

Mom's next words catch me by surprise. "I'm proud of what you're doing for Bane. Don't ever feel guilty of protecting someone who needs it."

I glance over at Bane. Finished with loading, his head is bowed as if in prayer and his eyes are shut. "I won't," I tell her. I end the call and push my phone into one of my shorts' pocket. I fold my arms as my eyes roam up to the luminous moon above our heads.

Well, there goes our vacation.

"We are to hurry if you wish to catch our plane, Rose."

Bane's shifting voice brings my thoughts down from the moon and back to earth. I look over my shoulder to find him leaning beside me, eyes locked on the moon.

A guilty knot immediately works itself into my gut. I wasn't being very nice to Bane earlier in the day. In fact, I'd basically ignored him after that beach incident. Still, that hadn't made him hesitate when he came down there and saved my life.

And I haven't even said thank you.

"You're right," I finally say. "Let's head out then."

Bane gives a curt nod and turns to walk around to his side of the car. I feel my heart pick up its pace as he begins to walk. I can feel my chance at thanking him, of fixing things between us, slipping away with every thud his boots produce when they hit the ground.

Before I can think it through, I've stepped behind him and wrapped my arms around his midsection.

Bane freezes. I can feel the rigidness of his body, even beneath his thick coat. His body has become a sheet of metal in my arms.

I wonder if he can feel how hot my face has become or how rapidly my heart is beating. I press my forehead against his back and stare at the ground, wondering just how fast my heart is going to beat. It feels like it's on the verge of leaping out of my throat.

"Thank you," I murmur shyly. "I could have died back there…. You saved my life."

Bane still hasn't moved out of my arms like I expect him to. It would be easy for him to do; one strong swipe of his arms and I'd be sent to the ground.

But he doesn't move. He stands there, allowing my hands to knot together at his chest, his raspy breaths coming as slowly and steadily as ever.

Realizing that my hug is going on for just a bit too long, I release Bane with a spurt of awkward laughter.

"Sorry, didn't mean to just grab you like that," I apologize. "But, um… Really. Thank you, Bane."

Bane glances over his shoulder at me, finally revealing the face I've been dreading and yet needing to see the expression of. His shadowy eyes are impossible to read in this darkness but I can feel them prodding over me, picking up any words I might have left unspoken.

He breathes in. "You're welcome."

I finally feel a smile bloom across my face as well as a light blush. We climb into the car and head on our way.

As the ride goes on and the airport comes into view, I realize that although our vacation is ending so abruptly, I'll be taking a lot back from it. Bane and I have managed to form a stronger friendship than ever and perhaps even a better understanding of one another.

I also learned something important. We both need protecting, even if neither of us wants to admit it. I have a feeling we'll need each other more than ever for whatever awaits us in Gotham City.

And we're headed back to Gotham City! I hope you all enjoyed the vacation as much as Bane and Rose did! Their friendship has definitely begun to bloom ;)

What horrors await these two back in Gotham? A trashed apartment, an abandoned skyscraper, and a shock inducer Rose thought she'd never have to use...

See you next time! And a big, big THANK YOU to all of my reviewers! I see you! ;D And I appreciate you taking the time to give me feedback! 3