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Chapter 10

I had just finished dressing after hopping out of the shower when Bruce called me down the living room.

I frowned. What could he want now?

"What's up?" I asked as entered the room.

"I have a surprise for you." Bruce said, and a politely puzzled look came across my face.

"What's that?" I figured I should just play along. Bruce had been giving me 'surprises' for the last week now, and he didn't seem to take 'no more' as an answer.

So far the Lamborghini he'd had shipped from Italy was just collecting dust in the garage next to his many other expensive toys. Tim was going crazy. Bruce wouldn't let him test drive it until I'd driven it myself, but I felt no need to touch the thing. If Bruce had really wanted to get me a car I'd drive, he should have gotten a corolla or something.

Then there were the little things that just kept popping up. On my bed when I left the shower there would be small Tiffany's boxes with earrings, bracelets, necklaces. In my bathroom when I woke up there would be expensive soaps and perfumes. In my closet new designer clothes appeared mysteriously.

And that was all on top of the presents he gave me to my face. Like the car. But I guess that one was a little too big to fit in my bedroom, though if it was feasible, I'm sure he would have attempted it.

I had a new iPod, and thousands of dollars worth of download gift cards in a drawer at my computer desk.

Not to mention the new prototype of the upgraded iPhone that wasn't even out in stores yet.

Of course, like the car I didn't use ANY of this. It was like Bruce had ignored my 'I don't want fancy presents' speech. I wore my old clothes, my old jewellery, listened to my old music, all of that.

I think it was time to put a stop to this.

"I was thinking about our talk we had in the diner before the unfortunate incident." He said, smiling. "And I know I don't seem to have enough time to spend with you while we're in Gotham."

Uh oh. I didn't like where this was going.

"So," with a slight smile on his face, all charm yet again, Bruce handed me a flyer.

I looked down at it quickly, trying to hide my grimace. A family trip to Europe? Granted, it would be lovely, but I doubted I could stand not thinking about it still being an expensive bribe.

"Bruce, this is lovely, bu-," I started to say, but he interrupted.

"Fantastic." He said, leaping forward and wrapping an arm around my shoulders gently leading me to the stairs. "You should start packing, we leave in three hours."

I froze, and he was forced to either drag me along or stop with me.

"Today?" I asked, incredulous. "But you know I'm going to lunch with Arsenal."

And he did know. All week long since the fateful day he'd started bringing home gifts, he'd been trying to keep me from any outing with Roy. Roy, who'd been nothing but nice about my suddenly chaotic schedule Bruce put me under, taking me to lunch, and dinner, or dragging me along to events I had no interest in, until finally I snapped, telling Bruce in no uncertain terms that today – Saturday, I was freeing up my schedule for something I wanted to do.

Bruce had the grace to try to look shocked, and it was then that I knew with absolute certainty that Dick had talked to him. I'd suspected it, of course, but I'd never had enough evidence until now that that was the case.

I freed myself from Bruce's arm, held carefully still around me shoulders, to glare at him.

"What's Dick told you?" I asked angrily, before shaking my head, flinging the travel brochure back at him. "You know what, I don't care. I've had it. I'm going home."

If possible he became even stiller.

I didn't care though. I was angry. "I mean," I started. "What were you thinking? That I wanted a car, or jewellery, or Prada, or freaking Europe? What are you going to do next, Bruce, buy me my own continent? All this to keep me away from one of the only guys that's shown real interest in me. Ever. But hey, that could just be my unresolved 'daddy' issues coming to the surface!" I said sarcastically as I stormed up the stairs, determined to pack together my measly belongings and leave all the crap he'd tried to shove on me before he could stop me. I bet I could do it.

He wasn't even following yet.

I pulled out the suitcase from my cupboard. My duffel bag had been a casualty in the war against gifts. When I'd tried to give the suitcases back, my duffel bag had gone mysteriously missing.

I suspected it had gone in the bin long ago.

I threw my old shirts in, with my old jeans, my old laptop, mp3, and everything else I'd brought with me to the great land of America. But nothing more.

I wasn't even tempted to bring a Ralph Lauren polo shirt. Not even the one that was my favourite colour.

Uh uh.

I swear.

That was when the tears came. Silently at first. I didn't even notice them until my breath hitched in a sob. I slumped down next to my monstrosity of a suitcase, a hand covering my mouth to hide the sounds of my crying. I hoped Bruce didn't see me like this. Then I'd never be free of him.

He'd beg and plead me to stay, to think rationally about what I was doing before I walked out the door. But I was rational. For the first time in weeks, I knew what I had to do for me. I had to leave, because my hopes of having a father who cared were being dashed pretty thoroughly by Bruce. All he cared about was his money.

Oh, and to make sure I didn't hang around dangerous vigilantes like Roy.

I shook my head, angry at myself. Me sitting here crying wasn't helping me escape from this nightmare of a reality any sooner.

My only sadness was that I probably wouldn't get to say goodbye to Roy any time soon. Even though we'd only been on one date and it had been cut short by the infamous bat signal, it had still been breathtaking. A whirl of emotions swirled in me as I stood, stomping to the bathroom, making sure my eyes weren't red rimmed from my tears before I left the safe confines of my room.

I dragged my suitcase behind me with a little difficulty. The doctors had said my arm could come out of the cast in three weeks, but until then I was stuck with the plaster. It made dragging that suitcase so much more difficult.

Another thing to blame Bruce Wayne for.

"Elizabeth." Bruce said tentatively from the doorway to the lounge room.

"You can't talk me out of this, Bruce." I said softly, ignoring the look in his eyes.

"Can I?" a voice from behind him in the door way made me stop.

Roy.

"I don't know," I said, even quieter now. This was playing dirty. I glared at Bruce, and he put his hands up in surrender.

"I didn't call him."

My eyes flickered to Roy. He shrugged, before walking up and placing a hand over the one of mine that was clutching the suitcase handle.

"I figured I should get here extra early to make sure you couldn't cancel on me again." He murmured, and I let go of the handle to turn my hand over in his, clutching it as I leaned into his chest, slight tremors running through me.

"It's just getting too much." I muttered, refusing to let the tears in my eyes fall.

"You know I'm here." Roy said, and I smiled in spite of myself.

"I know."

"And you know if you need me to punch someone or…" he trailed off as I let out a giggle. I couldn't help it. There was just something about Roy that made it so easy to laugh, to be carefree.

Bruce coughed indiscreetly, and I glared up at him, raising an eyebrow at him. I didn't trust myself to speak.

"Can I have Alfred put your suitcase back in your room?" he asked, and I scowled, thinking it over for a moment.

"Leave it packed." I said finally.

Then I was pulling Roy out the door, climbing onto his bike behind him.

"Take me somewhere." I said, and before I could wonder where that would lead, we were going.

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"So…" Roy said after dessert, and I looked up at him. We had barely spoken this whole time.

"Sorry about my freak out today." I said quietly. "I really appreciate you still coming to lunch with me."

He smirked. "How could I say no to you?"

I laughed, and it felt good. I didn't do enough of it back at the Manor.

"So," he said, almost too casually. "You're going back to Australia?"

I sighed, and looked away, to the river. Roy had taken me to a nice, non descript café for lunch, far away from the inner hub of the city, and even further away from the Manor.

"Bruce is just overbearing." I grumbled out before I could stop myself. "He thinks giving me expensive things is going to make up for the years he's missed, but that's not what I want." I sighed. "I've told him before, but I think he's just incapable of love unless it involves giving expensive gifts."

I rested my head on my hands, no longer in the mood to look at the river. His hand enveloped mine, squeezing gently.

"Maybe you should give him another chance." Roy suggested gently. "Maybe he'll be different."

I snorted, rolling my eyes to look up at him, not bothering to move my head. "Are you an expert on play boy billionaires all of a sudden?"

The grin on his face was secretive, and it had me wondering, before I shook it off. Don't ruin it now with stupid questions, Elizabeth, I told myself sternly.

"Maybe." He said, smirking, and I sat up, grimacing as I looked at my watch. It was getting late.

"I should be getting you home." He said, sighing, and I nodded reluctantly.

"We don't have to go home straight away." I said, trying not to sound too desperate to stay away from the Manor.

"If it means you staying in the country, I could stick around for a while longer." Roy said, and I froze, biting my lip and looking away.

He sighed, and it sounded almost like he said 'stupid' under his breath, but I couldn't be sure.

"I'm sorry." Roy said quickly. "I shouldn't have said that."

I looked back at him, before trying a tremulous smile. "It's a deal. But if I have any more problems with Bruce, the deals off."

He grinned, before leaping up, putting some notes on the table to cover our lunch, and pulling me out the door.

"If you're staying, maybe you'd like to see the view?" Roy asked as he passed the motorcycle helmet to me.

I frowned, but before I could ask what he meant, he put a finger to my lips. "I'll explain in good time."

I sighed, but nodded.

Stupid, infuriating males.

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We ended up stopping at a group of warehouses on the opposite side of the river to the CBD. I frowned, still looking around, wondering what on earth he could have meant about seeing the view.

"Come on." He said, pulling me towards a building, before wrapping an arm tightly under my shoulders, pulling me to him. I gasped in surprise, my eyes flying up to his face to see a playful grin spreading across his lips.

"Hold on." He said, and before I could ask what he'd meant he had fired a gun into the air, and for a split second before we were airborne I realised it had a grappling hook attached to some rope. Then we were going up, faster then I would have liked any day, before we were suddenly released from the cord and flipping through the air, Roy catching me before I could fall, holding me in his arms bridal style for a moment, his eyes swimming with something darker.

I felt a flush hit my cheeks before I was righted, his arms on my elbows as he looked down at me. He looked like he was going to lean down and kiss me for a second, before he straightened with a sigh, taking my hand and leading me back to the edge of the roof we now stood on.

I gasped.

In front of me, dazzling with a million lights that shone like diamonds in the reflection in the river, was Gotham. It didn't look at all like the violent city I had become used to.

I said that to Arsenal, and he just smiled, before turning serious eyes to me.

"Don't ever forget that there are good people out there." He said softly.

I couldn't help but lean into his arms, burrowing my head into his warm chest against the cool night.

"It's hard to forget that when you're here." I murmured, but then looked up, my eyes troubled.

"Roy," I began, and he looked down at me, his eyes serious.

I thought back to my previous decision, not to complicate whatever this was by asking questions, but I had to know why Bruce and Dick were so determined to keep me from seeing him.

"Why doesn't Dick like you?" I asked. "And how does he know you?"

He stiffened at my questions, and suddenly he had stepped away from me, staring hard at the river.

I sighed, and moved to sit on the edge of the building, dangling my legs over the side.

"Sorry." I mumbled softly, hoping he'd hear. "I shouldn't have pried."

"It's not your fault." He said quietly. "To your first question." He sighed. "I suppose you could say Dick's been witness to some of my less then perfect decisions in relationships."

He turned back to me, sitting on the edge besides me. "Your last question I can't answer. It involves me telling you some things about Dick that I'm not sure he wants you to know." He looked uneasy, so I decided to let him off the hook.

"Thanks." I said resting my head against his shoulder.

"Any time." I heard the smile in his voice as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. I snuggled into him for warmth, looking over the river of Gotham. I smiled. Maybe it was my time for happily ever after.

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