Sorry for the delay, I've been swamped with work and life. I hope you enjoy though! Thank you to all new followers and favorites, it means a lot
Kayla let Bruce through her apartment building, a silence between them after the car ride of questions ended. She unlocked the door, letting it swing open to reveal the 'message.'
Bruce slowly approached the far wall, seemingly stalking the answers he needed. Large scrawling writing was roughly splattered across, painted in what first looked like blood, but as he got closer was obviously paint. He ran his hand over it, shocked when some came off. It was still a little wet, how could Joker have done this, Kayla find it and get back to the penthouse, and get him to drive back all without being seen and the paint still be wet?
"'Hiding again? My little Firecracker knows better.'" Bruce read. There were also at least fifty 'ha' written all around the wall. The wall made no sense to him; everything seemed off. He was still in his own world when a sharp pain burst behind his eyes, the world swimming before turning black.
It seemed like a moment later when water splashing over his face woke him. Staring at him were icy eyes behind a black mask. A blonde man in a red, old-fashioned riding coat stood over him, sword belted to his waist. The mystery man towered over him, eyes unfaltering.
"What do you want from me?" Bruce managed to grumble out, eyes searching for Kayla.
The man smiled, he seemed like the whole situation was more of a visit than kidnapping, "to know the truth, this is the only way to find out." The voice was a quiet tenor, obviously disguised.
"Truth!? What truth?" Bruce felt his pulse quicken, was this one of Joker's men waiting for him and Kayla? Did they know his secret identity?
"You know what truth, Bruce. It all makes sense; your fear of bats, your martial arts background, your fierce belief in justice, and now Dent taking your fall. Explain to me how a person can be pointing a gun at a nut on the railroad tracks and dressed as a bat at the same time!"
Bruce felt the air leave him all at once, looking hard into those blue eyes that seemed familiar, "Kayla?"
The blonde removed her mask, revealing the face of his ward, "Batman." She smiled as she knelt closer to him but still was a good arm length away.
It seemed she didn't trust him to get too close, "I don't know what you are talking about." Bruce didn't bat an eye, prepared to lie and talk her down.
Kayla lurched at him, grabbing his face in her hands, "I trusted you, and I started trusting Batman even. So much so that when that gunshot rang out that night Batman threw Mallon off the fire escape I followed him. I wanted to help. Dent and Batman were in the same place, and you went to the press conference to reveal that you were Batman."
"Why are you dressed like that?" Bruce stared hard at the girl, there was no use arguing with her. She let go of his face and began to pace.
"To be like you," she barked out, voice loud and sharp and ready to crack, "I am the revolution, I am true justice. I hope we can coexist, Bruce, I really do. You are helping the world, but I think I can help it more."
Bruce felt a chill go through him, "how do you fight?"
"So now you want to be frank? Now you want me to tell you my secrets?" Kayla sneered as she got in his face, "Bruce, you must think me stupid; I know how you see justice and how you fight. You would be forced against me before long, I am sure. I just want to tell you now, I know who you are and you know who I am, so if you even try to go after me you should know that I would bring you down with me. Besides, isn't it better to have two people protect Gotham than just you?"
"You aren't trained for this," Bruce wanted to grab her and shake some sense into her, "you'll get hurt if you keep this up."
Kayla sighed, "I should be fine, I can fight as long as I can make it in my favor. And as much as I hate him, Joker seems to want to protect me for now, he wouldn't want one of his playthings to get hurt."
"How do you know him?" Bruce glared hard at the girl. He remembered everything that seemed odd about Joker's involvements with her. He protected Kayla when the mobsters attacked her, leaving the girl unharmed with his calling card and taking away the bodies. When he attacked her at the ball he didn't hurt her, just toyed with her and let her go as soon as he got her answer. He trusted her word and didn't persist like with the others. In the park, Joker obviously was shocked when she stepped in front of his attack.
"He claims he wants to help me, but I'm not an idiot. To him I'm just a piece in his game, I am more important than his pawns, but I'm just about as expendable. Don't think I'm some power player in his little chaotic spree, and I know to play along for now. See, I'm not stupid enough to fight against people I know can have me killed before I could bat an eye."
Bruce was horrified, the woman was admitting that she was essentially working with Joker, "you can't do this! You must know the Joker will go down in flames and you will burn with him."
Kayla sighed as she drug a chair in front of his own, "I'm not close enough to get burnt, not yet. Bruce, he sees me as a liability, he would never let me fully in even if I wanted; which I don't. The Joker is more of an enemy than an ally. And so I'd like to strike up another deal, not only will I keep your little past time a secret AND I'll help you with the Joker."
Bruce hated this girl held all the cards, but maybe the trouble would be worth it, "you'd be a double agent?"
Kayla grinned, looking dark despite her light eyes and blonde curls falling into her eyes, "I'm my own agent, I work for you as much as I help Joker. But, he is a criminal and I don't like villans."
Yay! And there you have it. I hope you like it! Everything is out and now we'll see how Kayla comes into play more now that she's becoming more… proactive