"Mr. Wayne," Bruce heard a soft voice and someone's hand on his shoulder.
He opened his eyes and saw that he had fallen asleep in the board room, presumably in the meeting that he went into that morning. The sunlight cast a bold ray through the glass in front of him, hitting his eyes directly and making him squint. He sat up and noticed the secretary holding a small plate with an espresso on top.
"Thank you," Bruce said and took the drink.
"Mr. Wayne," he heard Lucius say as he came into the room with a few folders and the secretary passed by him on her way out. "Good morning, again."
"Same to you," he said to Lucius as he walked over. Lucius had been at the meeting and had obviously let Bruce sleep once it was over. "Sorry about that. I was doing so well..haven't fallen asleep in a meeting for months.."
"Late night?" Lucius asked.
"Crazy night," Bruce said and stood to stretch.
"Sorry to hear that," Lucius said.
"Don't be, it was great," Bruce replied.
"I see," Lucius said and handed Bruce a folder. "Some things for you to go over before this afternoon's conference call.
"Appreciate it."
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"I got it, baby," Adriana said to Bruce. He was feeding Arsenio, now six months old, tiny bits of eggs-his new favorite thing to eat. "I don't want you to be late for work."
"What's going to happen if I'm a bit late?" he asked her. "Will someone fire me?"
"I guess not," Adriana laughed and the baby looked over at her.
"Mommy is funny isn't she?" Bruce asked the baby who smiled a little.
"Da!" Arsenio said and looked at Bruce.
"Here you go," Bruce said, knowing that he wanted another piece of egg.
Arsenio was speaking extremely early and already could say a handful of words. Sidi had informed Adriana that she believed that the baby was gifted. She assured Adriana, who immediately panicked, that whatever gift the child had was very mild compared to her own, now dormant, gift. Adriana felt calmer when she looked at photos of herself when she was around her son's age. Even at six months old, she could see in the photos her mother sent her that she was already traumatized. Her eyes were always wide open, like a deer in headlights. She often looked afraid. It was a fate that she would never want to happen to her son.
Fortunately, Arsenio seemed perfectly healthy and normal. The only thing that was peculiar was how quickly he was learning to speak and how it seemed that he understood what was being spoken about around him.
Adriana was unsure of when her own gift would return. It had been gone ever since her pregnancy and showed no signs of returning. However, it didn't stop her from being Shade. She had been very active around the city recently and loved every second of it, despite having fractured a finger in a fight the previous week.
"How's your finger?" Bruce asked her.
"Better, I think," she said. "Going downstairs to see Doctor Kapoor later. Arsenio has a checkup, so I will ask him to look at it."
"Good," Bruce said and reached across the table to take her hand gently before kissing it. "We must take good care of Gotham's most beloved."
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Arsenio didn't cry at all as Dr. Kapoor gave him immunizations. He watched the needle curiously.
"Good job!" the doctor said to him.
"Yes," Adriana said and kissed him on the top of his head as she held him. "You did so well!"
After an oral exam, Arsenio began to make sounds letting Adriana know that he was hungry. She began to nurse him immediately and Dr. Kapoor glanced at her finger.
"If you don't mind," he said and took her hand as she held onto Arensio with her free hand. "I don't see any swelling. How is your pain?"
"Not bad at all," Adriana answered.
"Okay," he said. "We should be able to remove the cast in about two weeks."
"So...you think I should remain...inactive for two more weeks?" she asked. She was anxious to get back out there. Shade was needed.
"I would advise resting for the next two weeks," he said. "We want the finger to heal well...I think returning to ...work..earlier may compromise that. The finger may end up disfigured if anything happens."
"Okay," she nodded. "I'll wait then."
"Has your menstrual cycle returned?" he asked.
"Nope," Adriana answered. "Should we do another pregnancy test? Bruce and I haven't exactly been...careful, every time."
"Of course," Dr. Kapoor said. "I think it's likely that you are not ovulating yet because you are still nursing heavily but it is possible. We will check."
When the results came back negative, Adriana was quite relieved.
"There's no way I could handle two babies at once," Adriana told Dr. Kapoor. "Maybe in like three years."
"In that case," he said. "I must urge you to remember to take precaution each time."
"We will," Adriana said.
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"Good to see you back," the Batman said to Shade.
She had stopped a truck transporting a number of illegal weapons. The back of the truck was full of crates, and the driver was on the ground and told not to move. His ankle was in a lot of pain because of the fight that he tried to have with Shade. He was unsuccessful.
"Good to see you too," she said to the Batman.
The truck driver looked at them both with pleading eyes. He couldn't believe what was happening to him. When he first saw Shade, he thought he could get away easily. He had seen her on TV and heard a lot about her, but when he saw her in person he was not intimidated. She was quite a small and slender woman who did not scare him. Once they began to fight, he realized his mistake. He now knew why she constantly made headlines. She was impossibly fast, agile , and skilled.
"Please,' he said to them. "I...I didn't know what was in the truck. I'm just the driver they don't tell me what i'm transporting."
"I'm sure the police will love to hear all about it," she told him. "Personally, I don't really care."
"Please! You messed up my ankle and I'm in pain! That was enough punishment-"
"Not quite," the Batman said and stepped up to him. "Perhaps you should try to run," he said and turned to Shade. "And I'll handle it.:
She smiled and tilted her head at the man on the ground. He huffed and held his ankle, knowing he stood no chance against the Batman. The police were on the scene a few minutes later and took the man away, for certain to be questioned about who he was working had gone before the police arrived.
They had both decided it would be best if publicly, the Batman and Shade were not closely linked and avoided being seen together. He thought that Damien knew about her being Shade and didn't want to take any chances with him filling in the rest of the puzzle.
Once the police were gone, she began to walk away, figuring that she would take the train. But as she walked down a dark alley, the Batmobile pulled up alongside her. She stopped walking and looked at the vehicle as the door on the passenger side lifted. She leaned down and looked in.
"Need a ride?" he asked, his voice still disguised.
"Hmm," she said, disguising her voice again too. "I don't think I know you well enough to just...hop in your armored vehicle."
"It's the safest place you could be," he said.
"Oh really? I should just trust you?" she said, holding in a laugh.
"Shade," he said. "Trust me. You need me to protect you. Look at you."
"Are you saying I look weak?" she asked, looking at his eyes, surrounded with black. His lips revealed nothing about his expression. She couldn't tell if he was close to laughing as she was. He looked totally serious.
"Weak? No," he said and looked ahead the the alley street. "You're an incredibly beautiful woman, Shade. It's a wonder you haven't been kidnapped, yet.
He looked back at her, still serious.
"Get in."
She stepped into the vehicle and the door shut after she sat. He looked at over her for a second before driving off.
"Shade," he said, still disguising his voice even though they were alone. "Where did you come up with such a name?"
"You don't like it?" she followed his lead, still using her disguised voice.
"I'm only wondering," he said.
"Well, I guess the people of Gotham came up with it. I liked it."
He nodded wordlessly, still looking as serious as ever.
"And you...Batman..." she said. "You know..I know a lot about you. I even know where your Batcave is."
"You don't actually," he told her. "I've relocated and I'm sure even you don't know the new location."
"Is that so?" she asked. "Why did you relocate?"
"Found a better used for the space."
"Mhm...so cryptic," she said.
"I would show you the new location," he said in the husky voice. "But it's unlikely you trust me enough to go."
"I want to see it," she said. "I can handle myself."
"Very well."
,
.
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"It's quite nice," she said and looked at the waterfall crashing down behind her. "Nice ambiance."
"It's functional," he replied, maintaining the false voice.
"You have a lot of computers," she said, noticing. "I don't need anything like that."
He looked at her quietly for a few seconds.
"Are you trying to insult me?" he asked.
"No," she laughed, in the low disguised voice. "If I wanted to insult you, I'd tell you about how I don't need an armored vehicle either."
He walked up to her and she backed away until she felt the desk behind her hitting the backs of her thighs.
"Don't try me," he said, close to her face.
"Or what?" she laughed.
The dark mask came up close to her again and his eyes pierced her for a few seconds before he turned away.
"I also don't need night vision assistance-"
In a split second he turned at grabbed her, and she smiled at him, unintimidated.
"I'm sorry," she apologized innocently. "I didn't mean it-"
"You've crossed a line," he said and grabber her under her chin.
"What are you going to do?" she asked. "Hit me with one of your tear gas pellets? Oh wait.. I don't need those either."
He pushed her back and she laughed harder.
"Where are you going?" she said to his back. He went over to a drawer and appeared to rummaging through it.
"I get a lot of injuries Shade," he told her darkly.
"That's what happens when you're not the best fighter," she teased.
"Hm hm hm," he laughed seriously with his back towards her.
"Just joking," she said. "Sorry. You're an alright fighter, Batman."
"Are you?" he asked. "Sorry?"
"Sure," she said.
"We'll see," he said and turned around holding something large, black and silver colored which took her a second to realize what it was.
"A massager?" she said.
"You've insulted me," he said.
"Said I was sorry."
"Yes," he observed. "And if you truly are, then I'm sure you would be willing to accept a little...retribution."
"What do you want?" she asked sheepishly.
"Take off the mask," he said.
"No," she told him. "I won't ever show you my identity."
"Very well," he said. "Then remove the suit."
She looked away at the waterfall and turned away from him as if thinking about it. It was hilarious and playful. Role playing was something she had never tried before.
"If I do, then you'll forgive me?" she asked.
"I'll consider it."
Slowly she stretched the suit and her shoulders and began to pull it off. Typically, she wore nothing underneath but thin underwear. She pulled the suit down around her hips and then bent forward as she pulled it down to her ankles and removed it.
"There," she said. "Is all forgotten?"
"Not quite," he said. "You insulted my mild night blindness."
"Right," she rolled her eyes.
"Sit on the desk," he ordered.
"Okay," she said and hopped up and sat. "It's cold."
He removed his utility belt, appearing to ignore her words. He dropped the belt on the floor and grabbed both of her knees and pulling them up while yanking her towards him. She slid forward on the table quickly and her body hit against the armor on his pelvis.
"Wow," she breathed. "You're really mad, huh?"
His hand, also in armor slid up and down on her thigh.
"Why are you doing that?" she said. "It's not like you can feel anything through that armor."
"But you can," he replied and used his other hand to push her so that she was laying on her back. "And you owe me, Shade."
"I have a husband," she told him. " A sexy, strong, powerful one. And he's way hotter than you."
"Perhaps you should call him and tell him your predicament. Maybe he will come and save you," he said before reaching down and ripping her underwear.