Chapter 9

I slept in the next morning. I figured it was my right. I'd been used as a hostage last night. By god I was going to milk that as much as I could.

Hey, maybe Bruce would buy me a car for compensation?

I shut that thought down quickly. I wasn't going to start thinking of Bruce that way. He wasn't gonna buy any love from me. And I wasn't gonna try and guilt him into buying me things for the crappy experience his home town had given me so far.

When I woke, Alfred was knocking on the door.

"Miss Elizabeth," he called through the door. "You have a visitor."

I groaned, poking my head out from the mound of pillows and blankets I'd taken to piling on to keep the winter chills away. Snow was so weird.

"Tell them to wait until some decent hour." I grumbled. "It's not even twelve yet."

A distinctly male laugh from the hallway made me freeze. I didn't know whoever it was out there.

But Alfred wouldn't let some weird person in would he?

"Who is it?" I asked Alfred cautiously, peeking out from my pillow fort once more.

"I believe he refers to himself these days as Arsenal, Miss Elizabeth."

My eyes widened and I squealed as I hid even further under my blankets.

"I'm not here."

"Very well, Miss Elizabeth." Alfred said. "I shall inform him of that, but I must warn you," Alfred paused, making sure I was looking up at him to see the sparkle of laughter in his eyes before speaking again. "He is standing behind me in the hall."

I groaned.

Of course he was.

I couldn't help but grumble as I got out of bed, trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach.

Nervous? Me?

Nah.

I stomped over to my wardrobe, pulling a pair of jeans on underneath my nightie, before quickly snapping my bra in place and shoving a t shirt over my head.

I put my hair up in a messy bun, before walking to the door, opening it quickly, hoping it would be like ripping off a bandaid.

"Hi." He said, blue eyes sparkling as Alfred left us. He was wearing street clothes this time, a pair of jeans and a singlet, looking so hot.

"Hi." I said cautiously back. What was he doing here? Was he here to ask for payment? If he was I didn't think I'd be able to help him.

"Are you alright, from last night?" he asked, and I nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I said. "Are you?" I asked, before blushing and stammering out, "I mean, they didn't hurt you did they?"

He smiled, looking a little surprised. I guess he wasn't asked that a whole lot.

"I'm fine." He said. "I think everyone's a little more worried about the princess of Gotham."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm far from a princess."

Arsenal smiled. "You can blame your father for the nickname."

I snorted. "I can blame him for a lot of things."

"Listen," Arsenal said at last. "I'm here because I think for saving your life last night, maybe you owe me?"

My eyebrows rose and I could feel myself getting angry. What kind of guy was this that he went around saving people and then ambushed them saying they owed him? Well, if he wanted money he'd have to go to Bruce for that. He wasn't going to get me to ask for him.

I think he must have seen me getting angry, because he elaborated quickly. "A date. That's all I want." He said, and I stopped ranting in my head.

"What?" I asked, in a choked up voice. That was hardly expected.

"Come to lunch with me?" he asked, suddenly looking a little nervous. "Ok, come to think of it, that 'you owe me' line was pretty bad, but I promise I won't be that tactless if you agree."

My lips quirked into a smile before I could help myself. "It might be nearly twelve, but I've just gotten up." I said, eyeing closely as a flash of disappointment flashed over his face. He thought I was saying no. "It'll have to be breakfast."

He grinned, before nodding.

"I'll be out in fifteen minutes." I said, before ducking back in my room and running to the ensuite to have the quickest shower a woman ever managed.

Throwing my clothes back on, I ran a brush through my hair, leaving it down, before adding a few swipes of the lip gloss and the mascara.

I looked at the clock. 17 minutes. Oh well. I'm sure he could wait.

I pulled on a pair of shoes, before grabbing a jacket and a scarf, and leaving my room.

He wasn't there, but Alfred had turned up again in his absence.

"He went down to converse with Master Dick." he said, and I nodded, following him as he led me through the maze of corridors to where Dick was. Why he was still around, I didn't know, I'm sure he had to get back to his job in Bludhaven.

Why Arsenal was having a conversation with him was another big question.

I walked into Alfred when he stopped, surveying the room before entering, a questioning air about him. I frowned at him, wondering what was so goddamn interesting, before I turned the corner myself.

Dick had Arsenal by the shirt and had him slammed up against the wall.

"Don't mess around with her, Roy," he snarled and my eyes widened, even as I stepped forward. Couldn't have my date used as a punching bag.

But 'Roy'? did Dick know the secret identity of Arsenal? And if so, why?

"Dick, let him go." I said angrily, pulling at one of his arms with my non broken one.

He stared into Arsenal/Roy's eyes for a moment longer before letting go, stalking away to the other side of the room to run his hand through his hair, shooting glares at Arsenal.

I followed him. "What the hell was that?" I hissed at him when I got close enough.

"I don't want you going out with him." Dick said. "He's bad news."

I rolled my eyes. "It's one date." I said. "And unless I'm mistaken time was, before the kidnapping you thought I was bad news as well."

I let him think on that for a little while, as I stalked out of the room. Without looking behind me I knew Arsenal was following.

"Don't mind Dick." I said. "He's…well, a dick."

Arsenal let his lips quirk up into a smile. "Yeah, well, considering he just gave away my first name, I'm going to have to agree with you on that one."

The comment was loaded, poised to see how I would react to knowing his name. "Listen, Arsenal, as far as I'm concerned, I didn't hear anything that came out of Dick's mouth if you didn't want me to. You saved my life last night. It'd be piss poor payment if I gave away your identity after that."

"Thanks." He let out a grateful sigh.

I shrugged. "No problem. But I've gotta ask where did he find it out? I don't think its something you go around telling all the cops in Bludhaven."

He smiled tightly, yep, he didn't want to talk about it. "I think its probably better if we just leave it."

I shrugged. "Okay."

He led me outside to his motorcycle, and I grinned. I'd already asked Bruce to let me try out some of his, but he'd said no, not without lessons first. I'd begged and pleaded, but he hadn't let me.

Riding tandem with Arsenal would be nearly as good.

He handed me a helmet, and I shoved it on my head after getting on the bike after him. I wrapped my arms firmly around him, and then we were off.

BMBMBM

Lunch was good. He took me to a slightly better then Denny's diner, and in a completely different part of the city then the one from the incident last night.

The company was even better. Arsenal/Roy was funny, without even realising it at times it seemed.

"So, before becoming a princess," Roy smirked. "What did you do for a living?"

I snorted. "I worked at a fish and chips shop to put myself through university." I said. "A little less exciting then vigilante."

He smiled softly. "We're just normal people." He said, and I snorted.

"Oh yeah, you maybe." I said. "But what about Superman? The guys an alien that can fly. And shoot lasers from his eyes. That's pretty far from normal."

Roy laughed. "Well, I'm a normal guy."

I rolled my eyes. Was this guy just not getting it? "After last night you're going to have a hard time getting me to believe that." I said softly.

We held each others gazes for a moment before it became awkward. I looked away, before frowning up at the sky. Was that…a bat?

"Arsenal." I said quietly, peering up at the sky still. "What's that?"

He looked at me, surprised. "That's the bat signal." He said. "You haven't seen that before? It's for when the cops need Batman's help."

I shook my head. "I'd heard of it." I said. "I'd just never actually seen it."

He sighed, before looking up at the signal again. "I should get going." He said, sounding regretful. "In case they need any help."

I sighed, but nodded. "Okay." He tossed a few bills on the table before standing up. I followed his lead, and he led me outside.

"Elizabeth, I'm really sorry to cut this short." He said. "And I really wish I had time to lead into this, but," then he leaned down and placing his lips to mine he gave me the gentlest kiss I'd ever felt. It left me breathless, and when he pulled away I had two twenty dollar bills wrapped up in my hand. I blinked down at them. What the?

"I'd drive you home," Arsenal said. "But the signal calls. Get yourself a cab home. Tell Bruce I'm sorry I let his daughter get into a cab."

I nodded, looking a little shell shocked still.

He gave me one last peck on the lips before hopping on his bike, revving the engine.

Then he was gone, and I was left with my hands to my lips, wondering what the hell just happened.

BMBMBM

"Need any help?" Roy asked, swinging down onto the rooftop where Dick and Tim were fighting off who seemed like the Riddlers thugs.

"Not from you." Dick said, before knocking out another goon.

"Come on, Nightwing, don't be like that." Roy said, slamming his own punk into the ground, before breaking the arm of another one who came at him with a knife.

"So what, you ditched her to come play with the boys?" Dick asked.

"No," Roy said, before slamming his fist into the last goons face. "I gave her money for a cab home, and then came here to help maybe save lives." He said angrily. "She understood that."

"She shouldn't have to understand that." Dick yelled, punching another thug, although he was already down.

"So what?" Roy asked angrily. "You're not going to tell her your little secret? She deserves to know why she's gonna be in more danger then just what being his daughter would bring."

"She shouldn't be dragged into this world." Dick shouted, storming up to Arsenal.

"I think she's already in as far as she can get." Roy said, glaring. "She's stronger then she looks. I know that after five minutes with her! Maybe instead of shutting her out, you should let her in on your secret!"

"Oh yeah," Dick yelled back, shoving Roy hard enough he nearly lost his balance. "And then when she runs for the hills? Are you going to be the one to bring her back?"

"Both of you calm down!" Robin yelled, finished with restraining the Riddlers thugs. "It doesn't matter anyway. We're not the ones who'll have to decide."

He nodded to a shadow perched on a building next to theirs. Batman.

Batman nodded to Roy once, before disappearing off the balcony.

Just what that nod meant, however, Roy had no clue.

BMBMBM

"How long has she been like this?" Bruce whispered to Alfred as they peeked in on Elizabeth in the Kitchen.

"Since she came home from lunch with Master Harper." The butler answered, and Bruce grimaced.

"And she's cooking?" he asked.

"Baking cookies, sir."

Bruce rarely swore. He rarely felt the need to. But he was definitely starting to feel like saying some choice words.

"And you think it's because of Harper?" he asked, sighing resignedly.

"I hate to say it, Master Bruce," Alfred said, watching him with a pitying look in his eyes. "But I think that must have been a wonderful lunch to have young Miss Elizabeth smiling like she hasn't done since she arrived here. You may have to let Master Harper continue his courtship of her."

"Or maybe I just have to distract her so she doesn't think about him."

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Oh no, what's Bruce come up with now?

Stay tuned…hopefully my internet modem won't crap itself again so I can update in a timely manner…its hell without the internet.

I'd love to hear what you think, or if you have any constructive criticism.