His cologne smelled expensive; it went well with the dark hair slicked back over his head, and the high quality tailored suit adorning his body. Even the shiny black shoes he wore screamed pretentiousness. She had known who he was as soon as he stepped foot into the hallway. Gotham's shining prince: Bruce Wayne. She had heard of his return to the city through murmurs on the street but was only convinced when she saw his five star face plastered all over the news.
She was very fond of him, even if he was an arrogant ass that singlehandedly managed to almost bring about the apocalypse in Gotham. He had run away with his brash tail tucked between his legs during the war with Bane, which wasn't surprising in the least bit. But she would never forget that it was Mr. Wayne that had unconsciously saved her life.
Aurora watched him intently, as if trying to will him towards her; as if somehow he'd know exactly who she was and someone, even if it was the most pompous and unreasonable person she'd ever known, would see her for who she was. No such luck; he looked right through her and then turned his head in a different direction. She began to walk towards him, her hands balled into fists at her sides.
"Oi! Who's that?"
With a loud clank, Aurora kicked off the side of the dumpster she'd been hanging on to, and ducked down to the ground. She cursed under her breath, her eyes catching sight of the warm swirls that danced on the cold night air. She'd seen the lights surrounding the mansion come on before she was even on the lawn. She'd told herself to just move on, to head back towards the city until the next night. She'd even mapped out a route to take to avoid running into any street thugs.
But then she'd seen a man in a black and white suit march out of a side door, his arm wrapped stiffly around a steaming bundle, the scent of roasted turkey and sounds of laughter and clinking glasses following behind him. His march was slow out into winter air, the ice beneath his shoes causing him to slip in a few spots and stumble in others, but like a man used to bearing heavy loads, he regained his footing and continued his trek across the grass.
"Mr. Bass, I know it's you, there's no need to hide."
As his footsteps grew closer, Aurora slid herself around the side of the dumpster and pushed her back against the freezing metal. The cold permeated through her shirt and into her bones, but she didn't dare move. If she stayed quiet, he would leave. She rolled her eyes at her naïve thoughts, knowing full well the man had seen her and wouldn't be leaving without finding out who she was.
"I told you there's no need to go rummaging through the garbage. Master Wayne has no problem with sharing food, he's got plenty of it. I brought you something out."
Aurora, fingers curling tightly around the switchblade she kept tucked in her clothes, held her breath, listening to the sudden stop of the footsteps just around the bend of the dumpster. One more step, asshole - Go back inside, Mr., she thought simultaneously to herself.
"Turkey and potatoes, and some bread. And I even snuck one of Master Wayne's wheels of cheese in here for you."
The snow beside her crunched under a black leather shoe and Aurora threw herself upward, barreling into the man and knocking him to the ground. She slipped the blade under his chin, slammed her knee into his chest, and kicked the package from his elderly hands with her free foot. All you had to do was go back inside, she thought to herself, pressing the blade hard into the man's throat. Out of the corner of her eye she saw his arm move but it was too late- the man was fast. And she was falling into the snow, the side of her head bursting with pain and stars dancing across her vision. She lifted her head, prepared to fight- prepared to die if that's what it had to come to- for whatever meal the man had brought out into the cold. Her head was killing her, and for some reason she couldn't seem to keep her eyes open.
She had awakened in a large bed underneath several blankets. A man wearing a black and white suit visited her a few times, bringing her breakfast and water and explaining to her that Master Wayne wanted her to rest and that he would meet with her later. She was welcomed to stay as long as she wanted as long as she didn't attempt to kill or maim anyone. She agreed but only after learning that her switchblade had been confiscated and was being kept in a "safe place". She didn't need it anyway. She'd claw her way out if need be. A clock on the wall near her told her that it was 10 in the morning, and that clearly she had been KO'd by a fucking butler.
She had remained in the room the entire day, waiting patiently for night to fall so she could be on her way again. She didn't like to stay in one place too long- it brought unwanted attention and questions that she couldn't answer unless she wanted to end up back with her father. It had been 2 years but the search was still going strong. The butler, Alfred he had called himself, let her know earlier that this Wayne had to step out for the night but that he would be back in the morning to meet her. He offered another meal, which Aurora accepted without hesitation, and sat and talked with her while she devoured it completely. She liked that he didn't pry. He said goodnight and went on his way, taking her empty plate and glass with him.
Before the door could click shut behind him, she caught it with her foot. She peeked out, watching Alfred disappear around a corner and she slipped from the room. As much money as this Wayne man had, there was no way he didn't know her father, and there was no way he was showing up in the morning without police coming to drag her back to him.
The hall was wide and lit up beautifully with several chandeliers. The walls were an off white, and the marble floors were waxed to perfection. She followed the butler, the stone floors easily masking her footsteps. She peered down the staircase that intersected the hallway in its middle and watched Alfred turn and head into another part of the house. Her eyes scanned the lower floor- the two front doors were easily accessible, and sitting on a small table next to them was her switchblade. Out in the open- a real safe place.
She skipped steps as she came down, quickly making her way to the doors and gripping the switchblade as if it were a lost friend. That's when she saw the small note that had been resting beneath it. "In case you decide to go" it read. Bruce Wayne was scribbled at the bottom. Underneath the note was a brown sweater. It matched the color of the wood of the table- she hadn't even known it was there. And next to the sweater was a brown leather knapsack containing a loaf of bread, a few bottles of water, two apples, an orange and a pear, a wrapped peanut butter and jelly sandwich and an envelope with $200 dollars in 10's.
It was that last thought- the knapsack with food, and water- that caused Aurora to pause in her stride. She was just behind him now, watching the tension in his body constrict the muscles of his neck. She went to touch him, to touch his shoulder. But she caught herself. Her finger slipped under the collar of his jacket and she quickly pulled her hand away and continued passed him. He'd never even seen her, how would he know who she is? Why would he care? Why would anyone?
She lowered her eyes to the floor, annoyed that she would think anyone around her would help her get out of this place. She turned around for another glance, to see if he was still there- maybe he would see her and would just know. Things happened like that sometimes. But she saw that the hallway behind her was empty. He hadn't seen her at all.
"The fire is in you."
The clang of the metal voice startled her and she whirled around in her spot, her heart beginning to beat a bit quicker. The masked man, Bane, stood a few feet away, hugged tight by his strait jacket. His eyes stared down at her, as if he could see into her soul.
"Ms. Donovan. You've decided to join us."
Aurora pulled her eyes from Bane's and instead looked at Dr. Maverick, who was motioning to an armed guard to have Bane sit on a bench in front of his office. "I thought you were playing hooky today."
She walked passed him and into the office, taking her seat at the far end of the room. As she settled into her chair, she looked up and saw Maverick beginning to close the door. Bane was sitting just beyond him, his eyes still digging into her. And then all she saw was a wooden door.
"Let's get started shall we? I see you're looking much better."
Twenty minutes into the session and Aurora was already on her last nerve. Dr. Maverick had begun to take an interest in the toning of her body via her exercise routine. He paid her several backhanded compliments and hinted a few times at booking a few extra sessions for her over the next few weeks. She ignored what she could and answered what she was forced to. No, she didn't care that her father was no more than a few yards from her at the moment- even if she knew that was a lie, the man was hardly ever at the hospital. She felt nothing most of the time, and the other times she was hungry, or tired, or ready to leave the hospital and go home. No, she didn't feel as though talking about what happened with her mother would help her in anyway. No. No. No. No.
"Do you think expressing yourself in another way would help?"
The last question caught her off guard and Aurora finally looked up, the monotony of the session abruptly ending. Dr. Maverick removed the glasses from his face and slid his other hand through the tufts of hair on his head. He eyed her and smiled, and for a moment she was confused. He stood suddenly, and Aurora jumped from her seat so quickly that it skid a few feet behind her.
"What are you-"
His hand was over her mouth before she could finish the question, his small frame, quick as he was, smashing up against the back of her and forcing her forwards. Her heart was pounding and her breath was coming fast, but she was frozen. She could feel his breath on her neck- the smell of him made her stomach turn. His free hand found her breast. She screamed in her head. Not again, she thought. Yell, scream, do something! But she stayed where she was, her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her body so rigid that it shook. His hand squeezed her breast gently at first and then harder until she tried to jerk away from the pain. She felt him begin to stiffen against her backside.
"Tell me something," he said in a whisper dripping in his moans. "If I promised to keep you, would you stay with me?"
Her heart was thudding against her ribcage. His lips brushed her neck and she cringed. The grip over her mouth tightened and he forced her head to turn, to give him easier access to the skin of her neck. "Let me keep you." He throbbed in his pants.
God, Aurora don't just fucking stand here!
"I'll keep you safe here. I'll make sure those doctors never get their filthy hands on you." He pushed himself against her harder. "Mm, filthy. I love that word."
He wanted to exchange her freedom for sex. He would keep her from going to Arkham, but she would be stuck in the hospital for as long as he wanted her there, and he would use her anytime, any place, and any way that he wanted. And something in her broke.
As well as all four of Mavericks fingers that were touching her mouth. The sound of his bones cracking as she twisted them brought them both out of whatever trances they were in. Maverick released her breast as she turned to look at him. He was no longer erect in his pants, and the word filthy no longer hung in the air. The room was silent as he looked at her, took in the scowl on her face, and then looked down at his mangled hand. As the pain registered, his screams filled the room. Bane's armed guards burst through the door immediately, guns automatically finding the patient as they tried to figure out what was going on.
"Get that bitch out of here!" yelled Maverick, clutching at his wrist because touching his hand would've been too painful.
A guard grabbed her on either side, their grips much tighter than Maverick's had been- and tighter than it would ever be again. Aurora smiled at the thought and did her best to not resist the hands that seemed to be everywhere but her breasts. She noticed that Bane still sat on the bench in front of the office. His eyes found hers as if they were drawn in like magnets. The fire is in you.
"You'll be in Arkham for the rest of your fucking life, slut! Do you hear me?!"
Aurora giggled.
She had been sentenced to spend the rest of her days at Gotham General secured in her room. She would be kept away from other patients- they moved Hilda before Aurora even made it back to the room. Her bathroom door was removed in order to avoid an incident and her meals were delivered by big men with large guns- no doubt taken from their duty to guard Bane just to make Maverick feel better. She would only be permitted to leave the room for group therapy. Her personal therapy, now being overseen by Maverick's close friend, Rebecca West, would be held in her room.
That night she took a quick peek out of the window of her room and saw that she even had her own personal night watch. It was only one guard, but she was flattered anyway. He sat quietly in his seat watching something on his phone, and only looked up if another guard called hello to him from someplace down the hall. Aurora sat at the edge of her bed staring at the square window in her door, counting minutes. She'd hit the 120 mark and decided that if he hadn't poked his head in yet, he wasn't going to.
She began to exercise. She did pushups on the floor and used the pole for the shower curtain for pull ups. She easily pushed through sit ups and lunges and any other basic things she could do in her limited accommodations. She crawled beneath her bed, through the wires and over emergency equipment, as quickly as she could without causing too much disarray. And when she got bored she kicked the door as hard as she could, leaped into bed, covered herself with her sheets, shut her eyes, slowed her breathing, and tried hard to contain her snickers before her guard could run in and catch her.
He would only fall for that once, so once he settled back into his chair, she looked for more ways to keep herself from losing her mind. Finally she looked up and noticed a vent. The ventilation system went everywhere in this building, and so would she.
The vents were easier to maneuver than she expected. The metal was mostly stable, but there were some places that popped under her weight and she made mental notes to avoid those areas completely. At one point she caught an earful of her old roommates singing and decided to stay away from that area as well. She located the offices and desks on her floor and found the elevator shafts, and in case she needed to make a hasty exit one day, she located the staircases and wall fire alarms. On the opposite side of the building, she even found Bane. He was wide awake, staring out of the window in his room. She left as soon as he made to turn around.
When she was satisfied she found her way back to her own room. She fixed the vent cover and climbed into bed. There was no way these people were keeping her here much longer. If she was going to get out, it had to be before Maverick signed the papers to send her to Arkham. With his other hand. She smiled to herself.