A/N: Thank you for the beta, DaisyJane! Here's chapter twenty three for your entertainment, dear readers :)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Nervous and shy for the moment,

We will come alive tonight,

Secret Valentine,

We'll write a song that turns out the lights,

When both boy and girl,

Start suddenly shaking inside,

Don't waste your time,

Speed up your breathing,

Just close your eyes,

We'll hope it's not for nothing at all.

Secret Valentine—We The Kings

There was too much utter bliss for anything else to feature in Alexa's life, for at least the next three weeks. She remembered being with Kal, she remembered being in the cowl patrolling Gotham, but everything in between was a sort of happy haze. It was wonderful to just be ecstatic all the time—there were no pretences to keep up, no papers to court, she didn't have to share him with anyone she didn't want to.

So far, it was still a secret.

Although how it was, she wasn't sure. There had been near misses, and many of them. It also hadn't helped that she knew Thomas was getting suspicious. He kept needing her help with forensics when she knew perfectly well he didn't, and she knew he had put training suite five out of action, and she knew that it was his virus she had caught diverting the video feeds from the Metrotower. It was smart, and used a lot of proxy servers so she couldn't track it because it bounced all over the world, but Alexa had been writing algorithms with her brother since they were eleven. She recognised his work when she saw it. But as she had no proof he was doing it, and no real idea what he hoped to find or not to find, all she did was shut him down each and every time.

Which meant that at eleven tonight, her date could be pulled off as planned. Not that it was technically a date. Just another sparring session. She got there a little early, and went through some limbering up. She tended to use ballet movements rather than the traditional aerobic ones, since they were just as effective, and helped to strengthen muscles and improve flexibility. Or maintain it, anyway – Alexa was already pretty flexible already. She also regularly practised yoga. She began with a basic move; sitting on the floor and stretching her legs out entirely flat, then bending over them. When her forehead was touching her shins, she stopped and held the position for at least a minute. Jazz splits were next, one leg in front of her, one behind her, and her forehead on her shin again. More followed, such as bending forward to put both palms firmly on the floor while her legs were straight, and finishing with a straddle stretch. It essentially involved finding a wall and putting her leg all the way up it, vertically.

It was in that position that Kal found her. The second she heard the doors hiss open, there were arms around her waist and a mouth at her ear. "Now why haven't you shown me that one before?"

She laughed. "I was saving it for a special occasion."

He backed up a little, allowing her to turn. She did so in a pirouette, still balancing on the toes of one foot. Her other leg now rested on Kal's shoulder. "How special?"

"Tonight could count as special."

She leaned forward, kissing him deeply. "I guess it could. Of course, you have to catch me first."

He frowned. "Catch –"

She pushed into the air, hooking her knee over his shoulder and pressing down with her leg. Not expecting the surge in pressure, his knees buckled a little bit, and Alexa spun around in the air, her other foot coming around to kick him in the head. He caught her ankle before the blow connected, throwing her over his head and into a wall. She caught herself, launching off the reinforced steel with both her fists curled, aiming at Kal. His eyes glowed red; she brought her bracers up to block the laser beam he sent her way, and in that time, he moved, dodging out of the way faster than her eye could follow. So, he wanted to play hardball. Well, that was fine with her. Except then she was once again being pinned, Kal behind her. Only this time it was to the ceiling.

"Caught you."

Her breathing was uneven, but it had nothing to do with the exercise; everything to do with the feel of his body pressed against hers, the deepened timbre of his voice, the knowledge that desire was rising in him just as fast as it was in her. It would be incredibly easy right now just to give up, give in, melt into his arms and lose the rest of the night to pleasure. But just a little bit too easy. "Is that so?" she asked.

She slammed her knee into the ceiling, giving her the force needed to push them both off. Not far, but just enough to turn them into mid-air, shoot backward herself and leave a Superman-shaped impression in the metal. His hold on her loosened enough to let Alexa slip free and dive for freedom. Not quite fast enough, or she'd underestimated how much Kal wanted her. Before she'd got even halfway to the floor, he'd caught her, turned her, and had her against the ceiling again. At least she thought it was the ceiling; she had no idea right now. His proximity was making comprehensive thought or reasoning difficult. Judging by her hair falling down in a dark curtain and surrounding both their faces, it was the ceiling after all. Kal's face was less than an inch from hers, his blue eyes sparkling with a youthful intensity a hundred years younger than he was.

"What were you saying?"

Her eyes were already drifting shut as she leaned forward, mouth seeking his. He didn't deny her, meeting her lips and tongue readily. But his hands had yet to relinquish her wrists, and she was still pinned.

"Yield?" he asked when they broke apart.

She kissed his neck, drawing the tip of her tongue over his Adam's apple. "I think you know I yielded a long time ago, Kal."

They undressed one another, slowly sinking to the floor without noticing the descent. The cold metal went unnoticed as Alexa straddled him, leaning down to spread hot kisses all over his chest before she sank slowly onto him. The connection was as deep as it had been the first time, as fulfilling and natural, causing both of them to moan. The cameras had been turned off, the microphones muted. No one could get in. No one could intrude on this. They had all the time in the world, and they took it, Alexa's body rising, being driven, to many climaxes before she was allowed to return the pleasure given to her.

It was after two by the time Batwoman went out to patrol Gotham, but she did so with a smile on her face even then.

"Lexie," Tom asked at breakfast the next day, "why is there a dent in the fridge?"

It probably wasn't ladylike or the best way to convince him of her innocence, but Alexa choked on her coffee anyway. And then spent the next twenty seconds coughing it back up. Tom hit her on the back a couple of times, but she waved him away as the coughing fit ended.

"Sorry," she wheezed. "Went down the wrong way."

"Happens."

"You think there's a dent?" she asked, feeling it would be more obvious if she ignored his question completely. "Thought I got that out," she added, as casually as she could manage.

"You put a dent in the fridge?"

Best way to lie: tell some of the truth. She knew exactly how the dent had been put in the fridge, and it had been her. Her back. Being repeatedly pushed against it. Not with any great force, just with more than a fridge was designed to take. When she'd noticed—after Kal had left the following morning—she had popped the dent back out. Apparently not very successfully.

"Yeah. I kicked it."

"Why?"

"I was frustrated."

"With the fridge?"

"With dinner. They got my order wrong."

"Oh."

He looked at her strangely for a couple more seconds, and then went back to his breakfast. Alexa breathed and inward sigh of relief. Tommy would have to know; of course he would, but not yet. She wasn't ready to share Kal yet. Feeling it was safe to change the subject, she said, "So what are your plans for today?"

"Board meeting," Tom replied. "There's a new contract Anderson and his cronies want us to take on."

"Defence?"

"Yeah. They keep talking about how much money we'll be handing to our competition if we keep turning down business from the military. But it's not in the company's best interests. It would damage our interests globally. I just have to convince them of that."

"You will," she smiled.

"Hope so. What about you? What are you doing?"

"Opening of the new refuge."

"Oh yeah, I forgot. Did it all go through in the end?"

"Miraculously the correct paperwork had been filed after all."

He grinned. "Miraculous. Wonder how they could have missed that the first time."

"Human error, I'm sure," she replied slyly. "And after that I have dinner plans."

He nodded, and didn't inquire who she had dinner plans with.

In the end, dinner didn't get eaten until well after ten p.m., anyway. She and Kal got as far nibbles, and a glass of wine each, and then their bodies took over and they'd ended up (very happily) in bed again.

"It's my birthday tomorrow."

"I know," he smiled, without opening his eyes. "My place? I can't beat your coffee, but I can mange dinner for two."

"I'd love to," she sighed. "But there's a party planned. Over-planned in fact. With about two hundred guests."

There was the unspoken question between them, but they both knew it was too early. Not that he had any doubt of being at her twenty-fifth birthday party, but for now … this was too precious to share with the rest of the world. Especially a world that wouldn't understand.

"The day after then," he said comfortably.

"Sounds good. I'm assuming you actually can cook?"

"Better than some people I know," he said teasingly.

She'd moved past blushing when that disastrous evening was mentioned, but she was able to laugh about it now. "To be fair, Kal, an amoeba could probably cook better than I can."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. A copepod at least."

She narrowed her eyes at him briefly. "I thought you were supposed to be the nice one of the Justice League."

"No. I'm supposed to be the truthful one," he grinned.

"I thought that was my mother," she snapped back.

"Well somebody has to pick up the slack now she's gone," he laughed.

She hit him with a pillow. Feathers exploded into the air.

This party was boring, Alexa decided. They all had been of course; since she had Tom had departed Isla Wayne to take up their father's mantle. Too few people she could invite. The location was always fabulous, the food gourmet, the wine both expensive and flowing—but the guest-list was rather lacklustre. Tonight, for instance, as she looked around, she could see three Oscar winners, five Grammy winners, several actors of the stage and small screen and uncounted numbers of the glitterati. Plus the board members of Wayne Enterprises and a few scattered members of her extended family. The only public member of the League was Mira. No friends at all really. No Barda. Her parents were missing. But Alexa knew the real reason she couldn't even pretend to have fun: Kal.

Their twenty-fifth birthday would be different, Alexa decided. Tommy could have the massive party if he wanted. She'd be much happier with a small dinner. Family, close friends, and him. There were Michelin-starred restaurants she knew would close for her, after all, and if identities and publicity were issues, the waiters could just wear blindfolds. Although that could lead to a few spill-

As if the gods—Dionysus in particular—could hear and were laughing at her thoughts, one of the guests (Thomas' date, if she wasn't mistaken) stumbled on her absurdly high heels and up-ended her glass of red wine all over Alexa. Specifically, all over her $6,500 white silk Versace dress, specially bought for the occasion. There was an almost comical collective gasp, and then Charisma Worthington's babbling started.

"Oh my God! Alexa, I am so, so sorry! These stupid shoes, I knew they were too high! I cant' believe I-" she grabbed a towel from a waiter who was hastening forwards, and started patting Alexa dry. "I promise I'll pay for the dry cleaning, I-"

Alexa grasped her hands, stilling them. "I think it's a little beyond dry cleaning, Charisma." Mindful of the fact that her brother liked this klutz, she kept her voice neutral. "But don't worry about it. It's only money right? Besides, it's not as if I'd be wearing it again."

Charisma blinked and returned Alexa's smile nervously. "A-are you sure?"

"Of course I am. I'll go home and change and you return to the party. Enjoy yourself."

Before Charisma could answer, she air-kissed the blonde twice on each cheek and made her way out of the hotel. Really, Charisma had done her a favour. This way she could start the evening anew, a little ahead of schedule. The Rolls and the driver were waiting for her when she exited the building. He did not bat an eyelid or comment on the state of her dress. "Ready to go, Miss Wayne?"

"Thank you, Wilcox, but I think you might be needed for Tommy later. I'll take a cab."

"Let me get that for you, ma'am," one of the doormen said. He gave a piercing whistle, hailing a cab for her, and then held open the door. "Good evening, Miss."

She tipped him a twenty, then got into the cab. "Wayne Manor, please."

The cabbie was either naturally taciturn or too in-awe of her to speak much, thankfully. Alexa was mentally sifting through her wardrobe. There was one dress she'd bought with Kal in mind, and now seemed like a perfect time to wear it. When they pulled up outside the manor, she asked the cabbie to wait while she got changed. While she did so, she asked the robo-butler to bring up a bottle of vintage champagne from the cellar. She smirked at she pulled the dress from her closet, imagining the look on Kal's face. It was made up of hundreds of sewn-together crystals, gold in colour that glittered when she so much as breathed. The sleeves were long, but it only reached to about mid-thigh, and aside from a string to pull the high neckline together, left her back completely bare. She pulled on a pair of strappy gold stilettos and twirled in front of the mirror for a moment, taking in the effect. Oh yes. That will do nicely.

Aware of how long she'd kept the cab waiting, she flew back downstairs and grabbed the champagne. She didn't think Tommy would be coming back to the manor tonight, so her absence wouldn't be missed.

"Where to?" the cabbie asked.

"Riverside Apartments."

"Don't think I know that one."

"It's in Metropolis."

"Metropolis? Listen, I'm sure you have some important -" He shut his mouth as Alexa thrust a gold card at him, he checked the credits on it and started driving.

She smiled sweetly. "I appreciate it's out of your way, but it really is important. And if you can get there in less than ninety minutes your tip will be double that."

Unsurprisingly, eighty minutes later they were pulling up outside Kal's apartment building. Alexa delivered the promised payment and stepped out of the cab. She could have flown, of course, but for once she'd felt like being a normal girl, surprising her boyfriend. Not that that word was at all applicable to Kal. But still, she couldn't make the grin go away, or the frisson of excitement dissipate. Finally—it was her birthday, and she was getting something she wanted for once. She keyed Kal's apartment number into the intercom and waited.

He answered a moment later, sounding puzzled. "Hello?"

"It's me."

He recognised her voice instantly, and his tone changed from puzzled to warm. "Come up."

The effect was exactly as hoped. When she knocked on his door, Kal's jaw dropped a pleasing inch or two, and his blue eyes widened. Alexa just grinned and let him take her all in. She knew she looked like sex on legs. "Hi."

"Wow. I mean, hi back. But … wow."

She laughed. "What, you like this old thing? I just pulled it out of the back of the closet …"

He cleared his throat. "It's, uh, okay. I guess. Won't you come in, Alexa?"

She did so, and handed him the bottle. He used the movement to hook an arm around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss. "Happy birthday, by the way."

"Thank you. I'm sorry the champagne's going to be a little warm, but –"

He was already taking swift care of that problem, freeze-blowing the glass until it frosted. "Done."

She grinned with a fond little shake of her head. "Saving me from King Kong, saving me from the perils of warm champagne … my hero," she added with an affectedly winsome sigh.

A/N: Review please!