(Back in Gotham City! What was the problem that Blake told them about? Let's find out!)

Part Five: What Awaits

It was a tearful goodbye. Leaving behind Ember was difficult. The man who came to pick up the rental was probably still wondering why the girl who called him was sobbing against the windshield when he got there.

Leaving behind my family this time felt almost as painful as the day I'd left them for college. They stayed on my mind the entire flight.

I barely have time to feel sad about either farewell. As soon as our plane touches down in the familiar murky air of Gotham City and we step into the terminal, Bane and I are swarmed by an angry mob of protestors with signs and reporters with cameras and mics.

It's like the people of Gotham City were stuck in a bottle of soda while we were in Orlando and someone kept shaking and shaking the bottle until we came back. Then, someone popped off the lid and let them bubble out all over Bane and I.

Everyone is screaming threats and questions at us and there's absolutely no barrier between us and them. I can only try to hide my face from the harsh flashing from their cameras and look around like a deer caught in headlights. I'm overwhelmed by all of it but Bane remains calm, even amused, throughout it all. His hands grasp at the folds of his jacket and he cocks his head back, staring down at them like their leader.

"Are you really refusing to turn Bane over to the police?" one reporter asks.

I swallow and try to formulate an answer for the bloodthirsty crowd. "I, uh…. I was asked to—"

"Did you actually try to escape the police by running away to Orlando?" another asks.

"No! We just were—"

"Did you kill a police officer?" someone shouts.

"Some time ago, yes," Bane's powerful voice cuts in. "Many, in fact. The police were a hindrance to my plans."

My eyes widen as the crowd becomes more frenzied and they begin to press in on us. The protestors start to try and hit us with their homemade signs and the media is promptly ran over.

Another voice rises above them all, one that I'm glad to hear.

"Alright, out of the way!" Detective Blake yells as he shoves through the throngs of people. He finally makes it to us. He wraps his jacket around my shaking shoulders and inclines his head at Bane. "I've got a car waiting for us over there."

With Blake leading the way, all three of us make it to the parking lot where we hurriedly climb into the awaiting police car. The car is nearly swarmed by the angry protestors but Blake swings out of the parking lot and speeds down the road, leaving them all in the dust.

We ride in silence, each of us taking the time to catch our breaths. Gotham is in an uproar. Police are everywhere, trying their hardest to keep the peace while protestors run down the streets like wild animals.

I finally ask the question that's on everyone's minds.

"What the heck happened while we were gone?" I ask in disbelief. I ended up in the passenger seat so it's easy to read the serious expression on the brave detective's face.

He runs a hand over his face, stress emanating from him. "Someone leaked to the media that you two were leaving the city. They threw in some extra, untrue details about you going on the run and forming a new League of Shadows, so the people are understandably a little on edge."

"A little?" I blurt out. "They're ready to kill us!" I motion out of the window at a wild pack of protestors holding a bonfire on the corner of the busy street. In the midst of the flames is a dummy wearing a mask that looks exactly like the one Bane is wearing.

"Alright, a lot on edge," Blake admits in a tight voice. "I'm trying my best to keep things under control but I needed you both back here. I wanted people to see where your true allegiance lies."

"And where is that, Detective?" Bane's cool voice floats from the back of the car, where he's reclining in his seat. His head is cocked to the side and he looks intrigued by the wild protestors lining the sidewalks. Nothing fazes this guy, not even an entire city that's out for his blood. "With the police?" he adds in an entertained voice.

"Yes," Blake says firmly, undeterred by Bane's disinterest. "The citizens of Gotham need to know that everything is under control and that the police are handling the situation."

We pull a sharp corner, just barely missing a protestor holding up a sign that bears my face with a big, red "X" drawn over it. I stare after the person with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. I slowly look over at Blake.

He gives me a worried glance and a smile. "Don't worry; you're both under my protection. I've already made a statement to the press saying as much."

Detective Blake instantly has my pity. I can only imagine how that press conference went. Everyone in Gotham probably now has the notion that he's in cahoots with us and plans on "overthrowing" the city, or something crazy like that. I'm sure the media and protestors have not been kind to our white knight.

I return his smile. "Thanks for doing that. I'm sure the public didn't like it, though."

Blake heaves a sigh but he looks charged. Determined. Pumped, even. "They didn't," he admits. His eyes are on fire suddenly. "But a great man once showed me that sometimes doing what's right is better than trying to please a city that's in the wrong."

I'm surprised at the passion in Blake's voice. Something tells me that Blake thinks very highly of this man, enough to make the man a hero in his eyes. We fall into an almost peaceful silence, brought upon us by the powerful words that echoed from Blake's mouth.

The silence is instantly shattered as we round a corner and my apartment complex comes into view. Red and blue lights are flashing from the multiple police cars that surround the building while men in uniform stand around, talking to some recognizable tenants.

"What's going on?" I cry while pressing my hands against the passenger's window and staring out in alarm at the crowd. Tenants that I recognize are all out in the parking area, crying and hugging one another. Blankets are draped around the sad-faced people, cloth shields from the harsh, drizzling weather.

"I have no idea," Blake informs me. The look in his dark eyes tells me he's being truthful. He pulls the car into the parking lot where I immediately hop out and race towards the other tenants.

I recognize one, a brunette a few years older than me. She's leaning against the building, shivering in the cold. Her brown eyes meet mine as I approach her. The fear in them stops me in my tracks.

I take one more hesitant step. "What happened, Tami?" I ask her. My throat tightens as she buries her thin face into her balled up fists and sobs.

"I don't know!" she cries. "There were these...these people in black! They stormed into the place and tore everything apart. Everything." Her chocolate eyes narrow. "They said they were looking for you," she adds as a mistrustful haze falls over her face.

"I'm so sorry, Tami," I whisper. All I can do is shake my head and pat her shaking back. Thoughts are racing around my head like wild horses, trying their hardest to break free. I'm afraid to go up to my apartment but I want to see the damage.

I glance around, looking for Bane and Blake. Blake is arguing with the other officers, his pale face growing redder by the second. Bane is in the distance, watching the turmoil around him in silence. His powerful hands are grasped onto the lapels of his bomber jacket and he seems completely unfazed by it all. It's almost as if he's been expecting the chaos we've come home to.

Seeing as though both men seem preoccupied, I give Tami one last pat on her back before I slip into the apartment complex.

It's dark and dank inside the building. The power is out, leaving me in almost total darkness. I feel my way to the staircase, following the glow of the sun pouring in from the broken windows. The stairs are tricky, but I'm able to make my way to the third floor, which is where my apartment waits.

My feet crunch against shattered glass and debris, which litter the floor like crashed hopes and dreams. I come to my door...or what's left of it. Instead of getting a key, the "Abolishers" decided it would be easier to chop my door down with an axe. In fact, the ax is still stuck into the wood door, surrounded by splintered wood.

I push open the door easily and feel my heart break. I hadn't expected this. Not at all. My entire apartment—TV, sofas, refrigerator, beds, appliances... All of it's wrecked. Nothing's left untouched. My flatscreen is cracked in half. Sparks are still flying from its circuits. The furniture is flipped over and chopped to pieces. Nothing. There's absolutely nothing left. Everything that I worked so hard to get in here, everything that I used my money to buy, that I felt so proud to have finally purchased, has been crushed to pieces.

The only thing they've left behind is a message in red, spray-painted across my purple rosy wallpaper. It reads: Return Bane.

I sink to the ground, a mixture of emotions churning within me. I'm at a loss of what to do, of how to feel. Right now, all I can feel is a hollowness, like a carved pumpkin. A small laugh escapes my lips as my hand finds a scrap of the rose wallpaper Bane named me after.

I never did find out the meaning of lavender roses.

I stash the wallpaper scrap into my pocket before I stand up. There's nothing to do here for now. I'll try to clean up as best as I can. I suppose I could cry about it, and I probably will later, but right now, I want to be strong, like Bane and Blake. I want to stand tall against these so-called "Abolishers" who think they have the right to say who is and who isn't capable of changing.

With a grunt, I lift up my toppled sofa and sit it back upright before I move on to other pieces of furniture. Some pieces can't be saved, but before long, I have nearly everything back in a clumsily arranged order.

Nearly everything. I wipe my forehead with the back of my grimy hand before turning around and getting a good look at the "Return Bane" message. I run my finger over some of the red paint and to my dismay, it's already dried.

I wander over to the kitchen and wet a washcloth under the sink. I feel like I'm in a trance or a nightmare. This can't be happening to me. This is the kind of stuff you always hear about on the news, or read about online. I never thought I'd be living through this.

With a cold, wet plop, I press the cloth to the paint and begin to scrub, as hard as my weak hands can manage. The scrubbing gets harder and harder. The red paint is smearing everywhere: on the walls, on the floor, on me.

"Your first apartment! Aren't you excited?" Mom asks me.

A younger me glances around the small but comfortable apartment. I smile.

"It's perfect, Mom. I know I'm going to love living here."

I wipe my wet face with arms bleeding with paint and continue to clean. My hands tingle with numbness but I ignore the feeling and simply keep scrubbing.

"Hey, hey, hey..." I barely notice Blake as he enters the room and places a cold hand on my shoulder. I stop scrubbing and look over at him. His eyes look pitying.

"Leave the cleaning to us, ma'am," he says with a sad smile. "It'll only take a few hours."

I drop my eyes to my hands, which are covered in red paint. "Will we be safe here? They know exactly where we live now."

"True, but this sort of thing won't happen again. I can promise you that much." Blake's voice sounds serious and slightly angry. "Please trust me on that one, Rose."

I glance up at him before lowering my eyes to my hands again. "Alright," I agree while dropping the red-stained cloth to the ground. I don't have the energy to argue with him. At this point, if he promises me the world will be free of war, I'd believe him. I just want to believe something good right now.

Blake looks relieved. He leads me over to the sink, where I proceed to wash the paint from my hands and arms. The water turns a sickening pink as the paint mixes with it. I shake my hands a few times before drying them on another towel.

"What can Bane and I do while you're cleaning?" I ask as I finish drying my hands. Blake looks around the room, searching for the answer. He rubs his hairless chin.

"I think it would be best to keep you both out of the public eye for a while. Maybe you can go somewhere secluded, just for a few hours."

"Secluded? Here in Gotham City?" I question incredulously. If you can find a secluded place in Gotham, you must have already left the city limits.

Wait a second. "Oh, I know a place!" I say with a smile forming on my face. I thought I wouldn't be able to smile right now. I probably wouldn't be able to, if I didn't have someone here supporting me right now.

"Do you mind if we take your squad car?" I beg with pitiful eyes. "I didn't get a chance to pick up my car from the airport earlier."

"As long as you take a personal note from me, take a quiet road, and don't drive anywhere illegal, that's fine," Blake assures me. The look in his brown eyes tells me he doesn't know where I'm going with this but I have a plan. I know the perfect place to get my mind off of everything that's happened so far and for both Bane and I to relax.

Blake jots down a quick note for me on a scrap of paper and gives me the keys to his car. I pocket both before heading over to the door. I pause there and look over my shoulder at the brave detective. He's risking so much for Bane and me and I'm grateful to have his support on this. If it weren't for him, I'd be completely alone on this. I know he must truly believe in Bane's ability to change his ways, otherwise he wouldn't be as dedicated to this task.

Or maybe he's just a good guy.

"Um, Blake?" I begin, feeling suddenly shy. It's the first time I've called him his by his name. Blake turns his head to face me. I smile.

"Thank you...for everything."

It takes a moment, but a smile develops on Blake's face. He gives me a nod, which I return, before I exit the room.

I make my way out of the complex. The police are still here, questioning tenants and snapping photos. I see Bane standing in the distance. He's leaning against the side of the building, head turned downwards, eyes shut. He's practically the only sense of calmness on the block.

I go over to him, feeling much better than when we'd first arrived.

"Hey," I greet him as I approach. Bane's eyes open but he doesn't lift his head.

"News?" he questions.

"The apartment is trashed and I'm pretty pissed off about that, but it's fixable. Blake and the others are going to clean it up for us."

Bane nods, not seeming surprised. 'The detective is a good man," he admits.

"Yeah," I agree. "He's letting us use his car to get away from here, to a secluded place, while they clean."

His eyebrow crawls upwards. "Here, in Gotham City..."

"That's what I said!" I say. My grin turns excited. "But I know a place."

Bane finally looks at me. The curiosity in his eyes is palpable. "Then take us to this place," he says in his authoritative voice.

"As you command, great King," I joke with a slight bow. Bane's eyes squint up and I know he's smiling beneath his mechanical mask.

It's good to know that we can get a smile out of each other despite the world seeming to fall apart around us.

After a few minutes of driving through the chaotic streets of Gotham, I park us in front of an abandoned industrial building, just a short distance away from the city limits. Its cement walls reach high into the sky, seeming as though they'll eventually reach the clouds. No other cars are in sight and not a person roams the sidewalks surrounding the old building.

I remove the keys from ignition and nod at the building.

"This is it!" I announce. Bane looks at the building, unimpressed before shooting me a disparaging look.

"An abandoned skyscraper." It's a statement, not a question.

"Yes, an abandoned skyscraper," I repeat before climbing out of the car. "There's more to it than that, though. Just follow me."

Together, we enter the building. Rodents and insects alike scatter at our entrance. Bane doesn't even flinch. Rumor has it that part of his hideout during the Lockdown was in the sewers, so I guess he would be used to seeing all types of disgusting things down there.

"It's up this way!" I say while heading up the rotting stairwell. Planks of dead wood and dirty metal hang everywhere as we ascend the stairs. Our footsteps fall loud and heavy in the condensed area, especially Bane's. His footsteps are heavy and deliberate as he trails behind me.

"Your excitement for such a building confuses me," Bane mentions. We've already climbed at least ten sets of stairs. Only ten more to go.

I peer over the railing at Bane, an excited grin on my face, hair falling around the side of my face. "You won't be confused for too much longer," I assure him.

I finally make it to the door I'm looking for. I'm about to push it open when I notice that you-know-who is still miles behind me. With a huff, I jog back down a set of stairs until I'm next to Bane.

I grab onto his hand without thinking and begin leading him upstairs. "Alright, grandpa, we're almost across the street," I tease as we climb the stairs. I'm surprised when he doesn't pull away from my grip.

Finally, we come to the door. I take a deep breath and push it open with my free hand. Sunlight and fresh air floods in as we step out onto the roof of the skyscraper. Bane and I step to the edge of the building, where a safety rail prevents us from falling over. I'm careful not to get too close to the edge. As you may recall, I'm terrified of heights.

"Here it is," I announce in a soft voice while releasing Bane's hand. The sun is sinking low in the sky like a fading dream, ready to disappear from our view. With it, it drags down the orange-yellow clouds that wisp across the sky in intricate and delicate patterns. Rows and rows of buildings try their hardest to reach for the yellowing sky but just succeed in barely brushing it.

"Pretty, right?" I say as I smile at the sun. "You can see all of Gotham City from here." The city's skyscrapers are bunched together in lit clusters of black and yellow amidst the darkening sky. Their lights are just beginning to turn on, one by one. The sight is breathtaking.

I look up at Bane. His calculating eyes are scanning the horizon, calm and collected. I feel a smile tug at my mouth as my gaze drops to the streets below us. "It's almost enough to make you forget that the apartment is trashed and that there are people out to kill us."

"Really? I've already forgotten it," Bane replies casually. I scoff but say nothing. Instead, I let myself get swept away in the beauty of Gotham City. It's hard to believe that such a beautiful city is capable of creating such monsters, including the one beside me.

Wait, wait. Bane isn't a monster. He's a changed...well, a changing human being. He's the same as any other person; capable of being corrupted and just as equally capable of changing. The recipe for corruption is pretty simple: circumstance, anger, and veering from the path of the straight and narrow. Just like that, the most innocent of creatures can change into a sick being.

"How is it that you came to find such a place?"

Bane's voice startles me, tearing me out of my wistful musings of life. I place my elbows on the rail, my chin in my hands, then shrug.

"I was lonely," I admit.

"Lonely? This seems rare for a student in a university said to be the most populous in the country," Bane notes in his lilting accent.

"I guess it is..." I heave a sigh, keeping my eyes on the dying sun. "But I've always been the type of person who's happier being alone. I like the solitude and comfort that comes when you're away from everyone else. I feel like that's the only time I can really be myself. Being around others, especially strangers, kind of takes some getting used to for me."

Thoughts of my first few weeks of living in Gotham came flooding to the surface of my mind. Walking alone through campus, sitting quietly through classes, watching groups of friends from the distance. Suddenly, I was forced to be alone out here when, back home, I had longed for a few moments of peace and quiet and couldn't get it. It was strange.

"I'm a pretty shy person, if you haven't noticed. It takes a bit to get me to open up. I'm not the best at making new friends. I came here knowing literally no one." I continue. "I was so lonely, living alone in my little apartment. All I ever did was go to class, work, and back home. It was just me and my thoughts. I needed an escape from my mind, sort to speak."

I can't believe I'm telling Bane these things. These are thoughts I'm afraid of admitting to myself. But now that I've started, my mouth won't stop.

"One day, I was driving, just trying to get my mind off of certain things. That's when I saw this building." I paused to laugh. "You know how much of a scaredy-cat I can be but I made it all the way up here to the rooftop. And the view was so amazing! Just like now."

I smile at the horizon. The sun is almost gone now. Only its brilliant rays stand tall above the horizon now.

"Coming up here always helped me to clear my mind and to think straight. To get back on course and forget about how lonely I am and focus on the beautiful life I'm living and the future I want to have. How can you feel lonely with a beautiful sight like this surrounding you?" I shrug and smile at Bane while swiping tears from my eyes. "Well, that's the story. The funny thing is that I haven't been up here since you stormed into my house and took over."

Bane's eyes crinkle but he doesn't chuckle, the way I expect him to do. I feel somewhat disappointed. I always feel accomplished after I've managed to work a laugh out of him.

His mask takes in air. "I understand you much better now," he announces after some time.

I give him a curious look. What exactly did he understand about me?

"That's not fair," I say with a pout. "I don't understand you at all."

Bane pulls his eyes from the sinking sun and meets my own. "What do you wish to know about me?"

I'm almost at a loss for words. I didn't expect him to actually offer me some answers today. He's so good at evading questions about himself that I just gave up after weeks of trying.

"Well..." I begin, searching hard for the appropriate question to ask. This is rare for him to willingly offer me information on himself. I've got to ask the best question I can think of. "Um...uhhh...well, I…" The words are getting all fumbled around in my head! What to say...what to say? I'm so unprepared!

"D-Do you like living with me?" I sputter out in a much louder voice than I intended to use.

I instantly want to slap my hands over my mouth and dive off of the building, headfirst. What a stupid question! I had the key to unlock the many hidden secrets of Bane and I asked him if he liked living with me? The answer to that is obvious! Heck no! What criminal mastermind would enjoy living with a scatterbrained college student who can barely cook, sounds like a warbling gerbil when she sings, and still watches cartoons every Saturday morning? Heck, what person in this world would? I don't want to hear the answer... Why did I ask such a stupid question when I knew the answer would be hurtful?

"Actually..." Bane begins. He pauses for a long intake of air. My fingers tap nervously against the old railing. My stomach is in knots. I already know what to expect but that won't change his answer from hurting me any less. I've tried my hardest to make him feel welcome in my home, just like Mama taught me. If he's still unhappy, I'll be more devastated than I think I'm willing to admit.

Bane finally speaks. "I've been pleasantly surprised."

…Wait, what?

"Pleasantly?" I squeak out.

Bane folds his hands on the railing and stares down at the city. "I was...startled by your demeanor towards me when I first came to your apartment. You were mannerly, which pleased me, although you were visibly frightened."

"Try terrified," I admit with a laugh. "I thought I was going to have a heart attack when I saw you on my couch." I smile at Bane, who has fallen silent upon hearing my words. I bump him gently with my shoulder, which only reaches to his bicep. "I'm not afraid of you anymore, so, ha."

Bane's eyes twinkle with amusement as he stares down at me. He suddenly looks away. His eyes become glazed over, an ominous darkness flooding over them. "You should be," he says in his cracking voice. "I'm quite capable of breaking someone as fragile as you into mere pieces. The surveillance cameras, along with other technicalities, are your only source of protection from me, little Rose."

Blink. Blink.

Oookayyyy. That was just a teensy bit scary.

I swallow away my fear and shoot a glare at him. I know he's just teasing with me, like we always do. Yet, I've never seen this dark, stormy look in his eyes. It scares me.

"Oh yeah?" I challenge him. My voice quavers just bit with the word "yeah". I don't know why I'm testing my luck right now. It's really a stupid idea. I just want to see the teasing glimmer back on his face, just want to erase the shadowy grimace from it.

"Well, there are no cameras up here," I remind him.

Something shifts in the aura between us right then. Bane's eyes cut over to meet mine and I feel myself freeze under his intense glare. He turns to me in a movement so quick I barely have time react. I stumble back from him a few steps as he walks forward.

"You're right," he agrees with my earlier statement, his voice cool. "You have no protection here, do you?"

He's steadily advancing. I only have a few more steps I can take before I'm over the edge of the building. The door leading downstairs is directly behind him. There's no hope of getting there. I can only hope that this is a cruel joke on Bane's behalf.

The look in his dark eyes tells me that he's dead-serious.

Darn it, why did I have to take him out to an abandoned building, out of all places? No one would find my body for weeks if I was killed out here.

No, no, no, no. Bane's not going to hurt you. He saved your life before, didn't he? He saved you from Officer Rolfe. He won't betray me now.

I'm six steps away from the railing.

Alright, maybe he just might.

Suddenly, a memory flashes through my mind, like a flash of hot lightning.

"What's this?" I ask.

"It's a shock inducer. One press of that button and it's 10,000 volts sent to the metal collar around his neck."

I gasp as my hand goes to my jeans' pocket. I feel the square object in it—the shock inducer. I really don't want to use it. I can't imagine hurting anyone, even Bane, even in this moment.

"Stop it, Bane," I beg, my voice barely a whisper. "You're scaring me."

Bane doesn't listen. His hand begins to extend towards my throat.

My trembling hand reaches into my pocket and pulls out the shock inducer. I put my thumb against button and aim it at the collar around his neck.

"I don't want to use this, Bane! Please, stop!" I cry. Tears are clouding my vision as I continue to step backwards. My hand is shaking so much that I'm afraid I'll drop the inducer. But still, I don't press the button.

Suddenly, my sneaker steps onto empty air. My back slams into the railing. I feel myself begin to lean backwards.

I only have time to scream before I begin to fall.

Quick as lightning, Bane's powerful hand shoots out. He grabs my wrist and yanks me back to him, sending me crashing against his body.

My chest heaves against his as I try to calm down. I'm okay… I'm not going to die. Ragged sobs escape my throat as I fight to regain control of myself. I thought I was going to die. I thought that I'd never see my family again.

Bane's rumbling voice is close to my ear. I can feel it reverberate from his chest to mine. "You hesitated to attack me. That is why you would have died."

That does it.

"You a-hole!" I screech while yanking my arm back and shoving him away from me. "You almost killed me!"

"It was your own fault," Bane replies calmly.

"I thought I was going to die!" I scream. I glare at him, chest heaving. He stares back with unremorseful eyes. No apology comes from his mask, only steady breathing.

I growl and bump past him, feeling as though I might explode. My body is shivering uncontrollably. I swipe the tears from my eyes as I head towards the door. The shock inducer is cold in my trembling hand. I have the mind to press the button, repeatedly... but I don't. I shove it into my pocket and spin around to glare at Bane. He hasn't moved from his spot. His head is slightly turned so that he can just see me with his back turned.

"What was that about?" I yell. "Are you trying to make me afraid of you?"

I wait for his answer, my shoulders heaving with anger. I just want to hit someone, namely the giant man a few yards away from me.

"You should be afraid of me. Also, I am teaching you a valuable lesson, young Rose, one that was taught to me at a much younger age."

Bane's reply isn't what I'm expecting or what I want to hear at the moment. I'm still upset, angry, and most of all, hurt about what he just did to me.

"What lesson?" I ask incredulously.

Bane finally turns to face me. "How to defend yourself." He breathes in. "You failed miserably."

"Well, thank you, Professor Bane," I say in a voice filled with hopefully apparent sarcasm. "You trying to kill me was a lesson I will carry with me throughout life." I give him a cold glare and spin around to leave, barely caring if he follows or not.

His grainy voice stops me in my tracks.

"People will be trying to kill you now, Rose. People who will not be as merciful as I. People like Officer Rolfe."

I rub my fingers together at the thought of Officer Rolfe and his alcohol induced attempt to kill me.

After a moment of hesitation, I turn to face Bane. My arms fold over my chest and I squint to see him from this distance. "The people who trashed the apartment?" I ask.

Bane nods. "Yes. You must learn how to defend yourself without hesitation or pity...or you will be killed."

He straightens his stance and tilts his head backwards. "Come!" he shouts suddenly. "Try to hit me."

I stare back at him, dumbfounded. "Um, hit you?"

"Yes. I will test your strength."

I give a dry laugh. "Look at these arms," I say while waving my stick-thin arms at him. "I've never been in a real fight in my life. You expect me to be able to stand in a fight with you?"

"I expect you not to hesitate this time."

I remember the sinking feeling in my stomach as my foot hit empty air, the scream that ripped from my throat, the rush of wind... I don't want to go through that again.

Feeling like a kitten approaching a Rottweiler, I step toward Bane. He watches me carefully as I approach him, large arms folded over his chest. My stomach feels sick but I truthfully would love to get a punch in on Bane. He deserves to be kicked in the face for what he did to me. The trust that we've built between each other was almost shattered in that instance. Even now, there's still a trickle of fear winding through me, like a poisonous serpent leaving a trail of venom behind it.

Finally, I'm right in front of him. I draw back my fist and take an apprehensive swing at his face. I'm shocked when Bane catches my fist as easily as if I'd tossed him a golf ball.

"Calculate your opponent's moves," he instructs, leaning closer to my face, "memorize them, and know what to expect."

I frown and try swinging my left fist at his face, this time with a little more strength, only to have it blocked by his other hand. He gives a shove, sending me tumbling backwards to the ground.

Wow. Instant fatality. I sit up, feeling dizzy. Bane is watching me.

"Try again," he orders. I climb to my feet and stalk back over to him, unwilling to give up on this insane game. I know there's no chance I'll beat him in a fight but I refuse to give up. I want to land at least one hit on him, just to let him feel a tiny dose of the pain he caused me when he led me to believe he was going to kill me.

I swing at his face again and again it is blocked. This time, I lower my aim and try to hit him in the chest. Bane is expecting as much and blocks my hand. He shoves me back again but I'm able to keep my footing.

"You're afraid to hurt people," Bane states. "Even when they hurt you, you remain afraid. Why?"

I don't answer. I'm thinking of a plan, a way to get one hit on him. He thinks I'm afraid to hurt someone? Just wait until he feels this-

The fist I swing out is caught. This time, Bane doesn't release me. Instead, he bends it backwards, sending excruciating waves of pain through my arm. I bite my lip against the pain and try to withstand it, even though I want to bawl like a baby and run away with my tail between my legs.

"Answer my question," he commands in a calm voice. He bends my wrist even farther. I wince with the intensified pain and grit my teeth against it.

"I-I...I don't know," I reply. Bane bends my wrist again and I cry out in pain. "I want people to like me, okay?!"

Bane studies my face a bit longer, hand still clutched around my wrist. He finally releases me. I step away from him, nursing my stinging wrist.

"You've stepped into my world now, Rose," Bane announces in a grandeur voice as he begins to circle me. "In my world, there is no room for feeble women with weak minds and weaker bodies."

I hug myself and keep my eyes lowered as he walks around me. I feel so angry right now. What gives him the right to pick me apart like I'm a frog on a dissection platter? I didn't bring him up here for this.

"I am not weak," I growl in a quiet voice.

"Even now, you're afraid to hit me. Do you really care that much about whether I, a convicted murderer, like you or not?"

"I..." I begin but Bane cuts me off.

"You are weak because you choose to be weak."

Tears are rolling down my face, one by one, but I'm too embarrassed to meet his gaze. Every word he's said so far is true.

"What are you afraid of, Rose?" Bane asks, his voice calmer now. He's stopped walking. He's directly in front of me now, awaiting my answer.

I can't stop the tears from falling. It's like someone turned on the faucet and broke the handles afterwards.

"I'm afraid... of myself," I answer.

Bane's breathing is my only reply but I don't need his go-ahead to keep talking. Now that the plug's been pulled, nothing is holding back the surge of words falling out of my mouth.

"I've always felt so different from everyone else," I admit. "I was a shy kid and I hated standing out. I wanted to be like everyone else in my school—loud, fun, carefree. I was shy, quiet, meek… I wanted the other kids to accept me, too. I didn't like who I was. I was such an idiot back then."

I continue, still feeling the weight of Bane's eyes watching me. "I won over twenty awards one year in school. I was pretty darn smart," I joke with a short laugh. "But I was self-conscious. Everyone was staring at me as I went back and forth between my seat and the podium to receive my awards. I felt ashamed with everyone watching me, like I didn't deserve every one of those awards. Eventually, I pretended I was sick and left the gym. I was that concerned with how people viewed me. I didn't want to seem like I was better than them. I just wanted to be like them. Like I told you back in Orlando, I needed their approval or else the good things that happened to me didn't matter."

"It's gotten better since I've grown older. I've started to feel more pride in myself and in the things that I do. I don't let people's opinions get to me as much. I still have bad days now and then. Like, I guess I could have forced the police to take you out of my apartment that day instead of letting you live with me." I shrug. "Old habits die hard, I guess. So yes. I guess you could say that I am weak."

I fall silent and stare at the ground, feeling afraid to even meet Bane's judgmental eyes. I feel like I'm back at the awards ceremony, like the world is watching and judging me.

No, you're an adult now, I remind myself. I've changed into someone much stronger now. I take a deep breath and look into Bane's eyes, a feat that used to be incredibly difficult for me to do.

Bane inhales. "You are stronger than you look, then, Rose, to overcome such circumstances," he speaks in a slow, calculating voice. "But you still haven't proved you are capable of acting without hesitation."

I walk over to Bane and glare up at him. In his eyes I see every weakness I've piled onto myself, every time I've allowed myself to be a pushover, every time I let someone walk all over me, every time I held myself back just to make someone else like me.

I summon all of my courage, all of my strength, block out the voices telling me to go easy, draw my fist back and swing.

I'm surprised when my fist makes a good, solid connection with the side of his head. Bane's head, which was flung to the left from the impact, slowly turns to look at me. The crinkle of his eyes shocks me. He's smiling.

"Very good, Rose. There was no hesitation this time." His hand reaches out and he lightly presses his knuckles on the side of my face, causing me to inhale sharply. "And you've become quite the woman by defeating your past."

My heart is beating into overdrive by this point. My heavy breathing intermingles with his own and I feel myself becoming light-headed. I can't tell if my reaction is from nervousness or from him being this close to me after he almost murdered me or from something else entirely.

"I believe," Bane murmurs in a low voice, "that you are ready to face the challenges that lie ahead of us."

I gulp, trying to wet my dry throat before I'm able to regain my senses. With a smile, I reach up and grab his hand gently, which seems to take him by surprise.

"I believe," I begin while removing his hand from my face, "that someone owes me an apology for nearly killing me earlier." I use his hand to poke his own ribs, earning a chuckle from Bane. The chuckle is all that's needed to break the serious air that's wrapped around us, along with the confusing aura that filled my pores just moments earlier.

"I was merely doing you a favor, my dear, one that you will indeed carry throughout life," Bane says, using my own words against me. I smile up at him before giving him a few playful punches to his flat stomach.

"Don't ever do something like that to me again, okay?" I beg while giving him my best puppy-dog eyes. "You really scared me. I thought you were really going to hurt me."

Bane's eyes suddenly seem guarded. He looks away from me, back out at the city. I'm shocked to see that night has fallen. The twinkling lights of the city are bright as they gleam back at us. Thousands of cars traverse the streets, their lights mixing with the millions of other sources.

I yawn and glance at my phone. Still no call from Detective Blake. Looks like we're stuck up here for a little longer.

"Well, now I'm sleepy," I complain while shooting Bane an accusatory glare. "And cold." I sit on the edge of the building and stare out at the city, feeling as light as a feather. Although I can't recommend Bane's methods of therapy, talking to him lifted a lot off of my chest. I've never talked to anyone about what I mentioned to him. The floating feeling of freedom in my chest is nice.

I hear Bane sit beside me. I look over and stare at his eyes, which reflect the lights from the city. They're much browner than I thought they were. Almost hazel, in fact.

Bane suddenly looks over, catching me staring into his eyes like a creeper. I look away, back out into the bright city.

"Can I ask you another question?" I ask, needing something to talk about.

"I can't guarantee an answer," Bane replies in a tired voice. His breathing is quite heavy. I'm starting to wonder if there's more to these tired spells than he lets on.

"Alright, fair enough." I chew nervously on my bottom lip before releasing it. It's a question that I've been afraid of asking for so long. "Um... Why do you wear the mask?"

I can feel Bane's eyes on my face. I'm too afraid to look over at him and see his expression. He's always so tactfully avoiding the question. The answer must be important and I'm dying to find out what it is.

After a few moments pass and Bane still hasn't spoken, I start talking again. "You don't have to tell me. It's just something I've been wondering about for some time. We've been living together for a little more than a month now and all this time, I've wondered about it, but I was scared to ask. Ha, like this one time, I wanted to ask my mom about the birds and the bees, but I was way too scared, 'cause it sounded so gross and really, who wants to hear that kind of stuff from their mom…" I ramble on and on, my face getting hotter by the second.

Thankfully, Bane puts my pain to an end. "My mask," Bane finally says. "My mask is not an accessory but a permanent part of my life now."

I clamp my mouth shut and wait patiently for him to continue.

His breathing is raspy. I wait and wait and wait...

He doesn't speak again.

My mouth falls open. "That doesn't tell me anything!" I protest. "Why won't you tell me about your mask?"

Bane doesn't reply. I sigh.

"Fine," I say with a pout. "Then can you tell me this: can you ever take it off?"

Bane scratches at his chest before saying, "I suppose."

I frown, finding myself pitying him again. Is he not even sure if he can take off the contraption that lives on his face? What a life he leads: eating through a tube with a heavy mask wrapped tightly to your face every hour of the day.

My mind is racking through activities that are limited due to his mask. I know eating is one thing. Another thing is...

"How do you..." I pause, considering abandoning my next statement altogether but I finish it anyway, "like, um, k-kiss?"

Bane's silence is more embarrassing than anything he could have said. I force myself to look over at him and find him giving me a curious look. I feel myself blush and I roll my eyes. My hands go around the railing that's in front of my face and begin squeezing, like I can squeeze the embarrassment right out of my body.

"D-Don't look at me like that! I'm not asking for personal reasons! I'm just curious, okay?" I remind him vehemently. Bane doesn't look too convinced. His eyes fall down to my lips.

"Would you care for a demonstration?" he asks in a lilting voice, one riddled with playfulness.

A surge of heat blooms inside me and I know my face is blushing even more fiercely.

"No, thank you," I assure him while twisting away in mock defiance. Why did he have to plant that thought in my head?! Now all I can think of are his hands grabbing my chin and tilting my head upwards just slightly, his dark, intelligent eyes focused solely on my awaiting mouth, as he brings our faces closer and closer...

UGH! I shudder at the thought. I shake away the confused, burning feeling in my gut and glare at Bane again.

"You're not funny," I tell him.

Bane looks back at the city, the amused expression still on his face. "Did that make you uncomfortable, Rose? If so, I apologize."

I snort. "Why would that make me uncomfortable?" I retort. I am so not uncomfortable. Not at all. His comment is already out of my mind.

Yup.

"Do not pity me, little Rose," Bane says suddenly. He's watching me again, from the corner of his eyes. "There are other things which I can engage in that will surely elicit more pleasure."

If my face was red before, it's volcanic, lava, Mars red right now. My face is burning up to the point where I think that it's going to melt off or I'm going to faint or maybe even both. Did he mean what I think he meant...? Agh, how am I supposed to respond to that? I'm so not experienced about stuff in "that" area. My tongue is tied into knots and there's no way it's going to untangle itself to talk to Bane.

Once my throat is slick with spit, words find it easier to come out through it. "New subject!" I warble. My face is still on fire. Bane's grin is smug. He probably just said that stuff to get me to stop talking about his mask, cheater.

I take a deep breath and let my voice ease back into its normal state. "Back in Orlando…" I start, "…when I left you with my brother, what exactly did you two talk about?"

"You, of course," Bane answers with no hesitation at all.

Of course. I mentally curse my brother out.

"What about me did you two talk about? Nothing embarrassing, I hope," I say, whispering the last part. Bro had a tendency, shared by Mom, to want to toss out personal info to complete strangers without so much as giving the targeted party a fair warning. For all I know, Bane could have heard stories of my diaper days in Orlando.

Bane rubs a hand down the front of his mask, like a man might do to his beard.

"He asked about various things, including your safety. Tell me… Do you feel safe around me?"

Immediately, my mind flies in the direction of just moments before, when Bane nearly sent me tumbling off the side of this very skyscraper. I was scared then, but a part of me knew that he wouldn't let me get hurt.

Then, my mind revisits Orlando, and how Bane saved me from Officer Rolfe.

I finally give him my answer. "Yeah… Yeah, I do."

Bane doesn't say a word in response. I can't tell if he's smiling or not.

My phone's ringtone suddenly goes off.

"Hey, Rose, it's Blake," the detective greets me. "We're all done here. You and Bane can come back home now."

I feel myself ready to correct him on his use of "home" but I don't. For now, it is our home, Bane's and mine.

I smile. "We're on our way."

(CR: Progress!-!-! But where's that romance, CR? It's coming, I promise! Rose is a little slow about these things lol

Thanks to all of the people who have fav'd and followed this story! And to RJ, I was actually thinking about the convo Bro and Bane had, too! I'm working on a few bonus chapters now and one of them will include this conversation :D Yay!

Next time, our duo faces a mean game of Scrabble, a kidnapping, a car chase, and the death of an "old friend". Oh my! :o See you all next chapter!