Chapter 8 – Come as You Are

A week passed.

Then two.

As the third week rapidly approached its end, both became convinced they'd never see or speak to the other as long as they lived. Both were also seriously considering relocating to Metropolis, or Abu Dhabi, or anywhere in-between.

Never had they reevaluated their life choices more than after that surreal night in the alley. Never had they questioned their sanity to this degree. Had it really happened? Had the world really imploded to the size of a pin? Their heads spun so much they grew dizzy just sitting down.

Their housemates knew something was existentially wrong. Very wrong. Alfred grew increasingly worried when Bruce ignored several Bat Signals, and he was at a loss as to what to tell Commissioner Gordon when he came to check on Bruce at the mansion. Bruce was physically fine, no obvious ailments, but refused to leave the house. Often refusing to leave the master suite, in fact.

Holly, Selina's roommate, grew concerned when Selina vanished for days at a time, reappearing at odd hours of night or day. She gave vague excuses as to where she'd been, like "apartment hunting" or "visiting old friends." Holly was fairly certain theirs was the best apartment for the price, and Selina didn't have many friends older than Holly. Ever since Selina's date with Bruce, she lived like a ghost half the time and a homeless person the other half.

If something didn't change soon, the madness that had invaded their lives threatened to consume them.

By the grace of God, somehow they each reached this conclusion around the same time. Whether it was Bruce who contacted Selina or vice versa, neither could remember, but their month-long separation mercifully ended one Friday evening.

On a stark rooftop high above rush hour traffic, the costumed pair regarded each other from opposite corners. They'd made no arrangement to arrive in costume together. They just both implicitly understood that that was the appropriate attire.

And then, after a few minutes of silent staring, they both implicitly knew it was time to remove their masks.

Their unspoken communication was astounding. Had anyone been watching, it would have appeared their moves were perfectly choreographed beforehand. Not a single word was shared for over five minutes, yet their every thought was unmistakably heard by the other.

"I see the paint finally came off."

It was Bruce's voice that bounced across the flat roof, inserting an extra beat in Selina's heart.

"Same for you," she called out, sounding far more confident than she felt.

There. They'd broken the suffocating ice that had encapsulated them for four agonizing weeks. Having accomplished that impossibility, they found courage to attempt another: closing the gap between their chessboard locations, step by dreamlike step, until they stood just one yard apart. The air between them was a thousand times more electrified than it'd been on Selina's apartment steps – and that was saying something.

Selina's voice wavered slightly, but she maintained her nerve. "Ever heard the phrase, If you see a thing 99 times, you're perfectly safe, but if you see it 100 times, you're in frightful danger of seeing it for the first time?"

"I have. But I never understood it until now," he replied.

"Me either," she whispered reverently.

Bruce's eyes were steeped in awe and sorrow. "I… I can't believe it's been you all these years."

"Me either," repeated Selina.

"No wonder we both felt déjà-vu. We've met more times than I can count."

"Way, way too many to count," she unabashedly agreed.

Effortlessly moving closer to her, Bruce's hand trembled almost imperceptibly as he gently brushed her chin. "The question is, how many more times do we want to add to that?"

Selina didn't dare blink. None of this seemed real, and she feared that speaking would shatter the illusion once and for all. To be here, in his presence again after so long, feeling the warmth of his touch through his gloves… struggling against the weight of a hundred memories that were folding in on themselves… her vocal chords simply weren't responding right now.

"I'm hoping that by coming here, you mean to tell me you'll consider it?" Bruce implored. "Please, Selina! Say something. I've been losing my mind these past four weeks!"

"You're not the only one," came her hoarse reply.

"I'm not?"

Selina laughed sardonically. "Are you kidding? Did you truly think I took it all in stride, like I went home and told my roommate, Hey Holly, I had a great time with Bruce. Oh by the way, turns out he's Batman. No big deal. See you in the morning!"

"Well, I can't read your mind, and I didn't know how…" Bruce interrupted himself, slightly panicked. "Wait – you didn't actually tell anyone, did you?"

"Wow, you're paranoid," Selina rolled her eyes. "No! I would never betray that code of honor."

"The old honor among thieves, eh?"

That was a bad joke. Bruce regretted it as soon as it escaped his mouth, but it was too late. Selina's eyes fell and she stepped backwards, shaking her head.

"This was a mistake," she snapped her hood back on.

"Selina, wait! I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking-"

"No, you're right. You'll never take me seriously as a woman, a partner, anything, if I'm wearing this costume," she reasoned. "You want to talk? Then call me for another real date, in civilian clothes."

Before Bruce could object, Selina had jumped and tumbled her way over the roof's edge, propelling herself across Gotham's skyline as the sun crept lower and lower. Bruce's shadow was long and distorted as it followed him home.