Disclaimer: I do not own Batman Begins or anything related to Christopher Nolan's movies. I'm just writing fan-fiction for fun.

A/n: Hey all! New update! Hope you guys like. Thank you for the follow, the favorites, and the reviews! I love you all. They mean a lot to me.

Chapter 18: Page 8

Days later seemed more like months later to me, but I'd woken up in a penthouse, rather than the mansion. My dying wish was to wake up in some kind of heaven; I thought perhaps maybe I was finally there, with a good guy on my arm for once, and not some sleaze bucket. But no. I'd woken up to reality with a silver platter next to my bed, and my name on the card. My actual name. There was an envelope, unsealed. I curled around in my white comforter sheets and sat myself up. I let out a small breath from my lips and winced as I tried to sit up against the many pillows that were against the headboard, a place where I could rest, and heal from the puncture wound. I lifted up my shirt and looked down to see the bandage with a little red that had bled through. I grimaced.

I reached for the glass of water and took a big gulp. After I'd gotten some fluid within me, I decided to take the envelope with my name on it, and read it.

Dear Melanie,

I know your mask. You and Bruce seem to wear them well, so I hope you'll take care of him, as much as I have. My name is Rachel Dawes, a childhood friend of Bruce's who fell in love with him a long time ago.

I can see that the two of you share so many things that I could never. But there's a new D.A. who's coming to the office. Harvey Dent. I've talked with him a few times, and have been trying to get him into office ever since we lost my current boss to the mob. I'm doing what I can to save this city from crumbling to pieces; my only hope is that you don't loose your heart to what happened to you. Bruce told me you were recovering and healing from Ra's Al Ghul's attack on you. It also looks like you could use a friend or two. I don't have many, but I like to keep my circle small. Perhaps we'll see each other in passing, perhaps not. I wrote this letter to you just in case, and so you know my true intentions, and what I hope to get out of my life, and yours, so that we can coexist.

With that said, he's all yours.

Good luck,

Rachel Dawes

Huh.

I chewed my bottom lip.

I folded the letter and placed it back into the envelope.

I leaned back down against the pillow and mulled over what Rachel just wrote to me. He's all mine? What did that mean?

An elevator dinged, and came to my floor. I spotted Alfred coming out of the silver doors, with another platter full of medical items on it, like he was going to take care of me again, when I felt fine.

"Alfred," I said. "Did you know about this?" I showed him the envelope and he looked up from the ground, stopping short at the edge of my bed.

"Know about what?" he asked.

"Rachel sent me a letter as if she was okay with me dating with Bruce, even though it's a lie that we told Gotham's residents that it was true," I said, trying to make sense. Even I was slightly confused, and that ws not a good thing. I wanted to know for sure if this was a ruse or if there really was something going on between us. I mean I've only known him for a few days…which could seem longer to some people.

"Oh that…" he said.

"Alfred…" I warned, not wanting to be toyed with at the moment. I was not one for toying around, especially when it came to my own emotions that I had a knack for bottling up and then waiting to explode during the utmost awful time ever.

"Yes, I did know that. She's a very delicate gir-"

"Woman," I corrected.

"Woman. She has her head on straight though. She told him off at the rubble site of his mansion," Alfred explained. "But, she also said she would wait for him when Gotham no longer needed Batman."

"Wow….that's a really big torch," I said with a small frown. "I can't get in between them, Alfred."

"Do you have feelings for Bruce? I mean, real feelings?" he asked.

I gulped. I wasn't sure. All I knew so far is that men could have double lives, surely women could too right? I wonder how far that went. I wondered if I should try it. But I was never a good fighter or anything of that sort. It just didn't seem like me to go flying off of rooftops like he did. That was for the pro's. I was more business like and goal oriented and face to face, like…. I sighed at the thought, Rachel Dawes who was just a woman who wanted to save the city too. Batman could handle the rest. I didn't like fighting. I didn't like mob bosses. I didn't like controversy. But if I could lead an example as an actress perhaps, then maybe that would be enough, to be a good role model. This city needed good role models. There were so few of them left.

"Alfred," I said, slowly sitting upward. He looked at me with concerned but gentle eyes. "I'm not sure yet. And, I mean I'm not even sure who I am as a person anymore. I do know I love theatre and I love acting and that's something I should actively try to be. Maybe Wayne Enterprises wasn't my dream, maybe I just like Thomas Wayne's idea of saving a crippling city, and with the money I can make as an actress, I can start charity funds and go from there. I'd always wanted to give back when I was little, and saw how people struggled, even in my foster care years."

"Well, that sounds like a good start to me, Miss Blake," he said and walked over to start changing out my wounds. "He did get you an agent, would you like a manager to help manage? I think I could help with that."

I laughed. "Maybe. I'll take you up on that offer. I'm not one for tight leather, Alfred," I said, shaking my head. "No spandex for me. I can't think of myself like that. I can only lead by example. And with that said, I need to know my past. I need to search for who I am."

"Most people do," Alfred nodded. "You aren't alone there. And, I'll try to make sure you won't ever have to hide behind a mask."

"Thank you," I said. "That would be too much pressure on myself."

"You do tend to do that," Alfred nodded.

"So, when did Bruce get this penthouse? It's gorgeous!" I exclaimed on a lighter note.

"When you got out of the hospital, we decided we'd need more room, and some guest rooms to spare. You're welcome to stay here for as long as you'd like, until you get your feet back up and running since you lost your apartment in the Narrows," Alfred said.

"Thanks, Alfred. Hey, I have a question for you,"

"I don't doubt that, Miss Blake," he smiled.

"Owe…" I winced when he started to take off my bandages and then started to place the new ones on me underneath my chest where the wound was. "Who's my long lost brother?"

"You really want to know that now? That's a heavy question for a heavy answer."

"Yes," I said. "I want to know my family. I'm not joking around, Alfred. I have to find out who my family was and where they came from, where I come from. I just feel….empty right now," I said.

"Maybe, I'll tell you another day," Alfred said shaking his head. "You just got out of the hospital. I don't want to bombard you with all the information I have. If it puts your mind at ease, you have no ties with the League of Shadows."

I sighed with relief. "Well, yeah, that's a big relief. Must've fallen pretty badly and hit my head hard, huh?"

"On the tiled floor of the Wayne Mansion, yes, Miss Blake. Bruce had to carry you, then I carried you both out of there from the fire."

"That's sad. I loved that mansion," I said quietly.

"Didn't we all," Alfred murmured as he finished dressing my wounds and taped it on tight. I winced as I tried to move again. I took another sip of my water and sighed with content. At least I was out of the hospital and in a safe space.

"Anything good on the news? I'm bored. See, I do need my family tree and need to connect the dots," I said, half-heartedly.

"You know, Miss Blake, it might be nice to see the newspaper for a change, if you're interested. Bruce Wayne made Page 8."

"He did?" I sat up quickly and grimaced at the biting bandage against me. He grabbed the folded newspaper from his own tray and opened it out for me flat. I thumbed through to page eight, and skimmed the title and then the article. I saw his name and then I saw Mr. Fox had Board Director as his title. I grinned eagerly. "Yes! Go Mr. Fox!" I exclaimed happily and delightfully, making Alfred chuckle.

"I thought that might also put your mind at ease," he said.

"Yeah, it did actually. I was worried about him. Only Earle could've fired someone like Mr. Fox, which was down right awful because Fox is a good person," I said. "I know he really loved working for Thomas Wayne."

"We all did," Alfred added. "Well, I suppose you'll want to rest. I have to go fetch the Rolls Royce and fetch Bruce from Wayne Enterprise once he's finished up there."

"Rest? I feel like going out and doing something," I said with much oomf forward, but then grimaced again when I tried to get out of bed.

"You sure?" Alfred asked.

"Owe, okay, never mind, I'll pass…"

"Good. You were nearly dying, so you need to rest, Miss-"

"Call me Mel, please Alfred."

"Melanie," he stated finally.

"Okay. What about Batman though? What's he into these days?"

"You really want to know?"

"Yes. I need details. I get bored easily, so anything to help me heal faster would be nice," I smiled at him.

"Alright, well I'll keep you updated as long as you keep healing. Deal?"

"Deal."

"Thanks, Alfred," I said sincerely.

"You're welcome, Melanie," he smiled at me and then finished cleaning up and took his tray with him, probably back to his station where he can clean it all up, and just left me to rest, and enjoy the newspaper that Batman had made the front page, saving an entire city from Ra's Al Ghul's toxins and Bruce Wayne, making headlines on page eight. His father would be very proud of him, just like I was. And with Rachel Dawes' permission, I was free to do with as I pleased, whatever that may be. I wasn't sure yet. But I had to be sure soon, because a guy like Bruce Wayne did not stay single for long.

~*TDK*~

A/n: So, I have ended the Batman Begins story. I'm now going to move it into 1 year forward just like the Dark Knight. Hope you like, and don't forget to leave me a review, follow, and a favorite! Thanks for reading, more updates soon! P.S. Still struggling with the idea she can be a vigilante. Maybe during the Dark Knight Rises... I'm not sure yet.