Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing but the original characters and the situations the characters find themselves in. Thanks so much for continuing to read and for giving me feedback on my work. It's muchly appreciated and I do read every review you send me!

Love is Art

'Love is art, not truth. It's like painting scenery.' Lorrie Moore

Despite the plethora of people milling around or trying to help, Bane managed to get Robin to the waiting ambulance without too much trouble. It was a horrible bonus that Robin was even in enough pain that he was forthcoming when the medics started asking medical questions. The knee was apparently the major problem, the rest a lot of strained muscles and bruising. Judging by the looks on the EMTs faces, they not only knew Blake well but were surprised he was being so cooperative as Bane set Robin down on the ambulance stretcher. No surprise there.

Bane intended to make damn sure every inch of Robin was looked over to make sure that nothing was overlooked or dismissed until real damage was done, those plans meeting their first snag when one of the medics brought out a pair of shears with the intention of cutting away the material impeding their view of Robin's knee.

The little idiot was saying no. Apparently, he really loved this particular pair of jeans. He'd take his pants off himself, Bane's idiot lieutenant was insisting. Like that was reasonable considering the visual fact that the knee was already so swollen it was obvious even with the material in the way.

"Let them cut the leg off." Bane ordered.

"Yeah, no. You guys start amputating, I'm a gonna sue. And hurt you bad." Robin informed them as he undid the button on said jeans, apparently thinking he'd take them off himself. The medics had already removed his footwear, his cartoon covered socks on full display for all to see.

"You know what I meant, Robin."

"I LOVE these pants. Do you know how much trouble I went through to get them?"

Bane wouldn't have paid much for them, but it wasn't unusual for 'fashion' houses to charge outrageous sums for their products while paying their people peanuts. So, Bane didn't question that. Instead, he promised to buy Robin another pair if he'd just shut up and cooperate.

"But they're broken in perfectly. Not to mention how fucking fantastic my ass looks in them. And good luck finding-"

"Robin."

"Right. Move aside." Arthur shouldered his way over and got in front of his brother at the foot of the stretcher, sharing a look with Robin that apparently spoke volumes. Or at least that's what Bane assumed when Robin nodded in agreement. Seeing sense, finally.

Bane would later question why he would ever think that the younger man would show that much sense and catapult so easily.

Before anyone could stop him-none of them save for the idiot's twin saw it coming- Robin was planting his hands on the stretcher and then lifting and holding his legs aloft as he balanced all his weight on his arms while Arthur leaned in and whipped off the pants in one smooth motion.

In fact Arthur got them off just in time before Robin collapsed back down in a heap, cursing his knee in multiple languages.

Given that Robin had no one to blame but himself-and Arthur-for the pain he was in, Bane had no sympathy for him. Nor did he appreciate the fact that Robin's underwear was now also on display for all to see. He should be the only one aside from Robin aware that the cop had decided to wear black boxer briefs with 'Large Package, Handle With Care' in bright yellow around the hem.

Showing heroic restraint by not commenting on them, Bane focused on glaring at the twins as he told them that they were fools.

"I got his knee available for treatment faster than you would have." Arthur informed him, not looking repentant in the least. Or sympathetic towards his brother's current state.

"And saved my favorite jeans." Robin added through gritted teeth. He'd visibly paled, strain digging lines into his face. "Arthur and I rock, paper, scissor'd for them fifteen times."

"We did." Arthur agreed.

Demonstrating that they weren't as stupid as their patient the medics started again making it very clear that they were on Bane's side, which he appreciated as they started poking and prodding at the swollen, colorful mess that was Robin's knee. All while telling Robin off as much as they could while still being professional about it.

Or not so much in case of the one, who'd apparently patched Robin up one too many times already and felt enough was enough.

Bane was very much not looking forward to that becoming his job in the future. It was a very good thing he could afford to hire people to keep Robin as safe as a cop could be, Bane thought fatalistically. It would be an interesting challenge, pulling that off. Not that Robin would be doing much of anything any time soon. From the sounds of it the idiot was likely to need surgery on the knee.

"Make way for the Lieutenant!"

Cops cleared a path to make way for Robin's father like he was Moses at the Red Sea, the older man running over with a frantic look on his face that melted into stark relief once his eyes had moved over Robin for a thorough once over, then a turn of the head to do the same where Arthur was concerned.

By the time his eyes were back on his oldest Lieutenant Shin Blake had himself and his emotions under control once more. Enough to ask what his son why he was assaulting all their eyes with that ridiculous underwear.

"Well, I didn't know I'd be flashing anyone." Was Robin's cheeky reply.

He was pretending to be all right, Bane saw immediately, Robin's lips curved into a smile despite the pain he had to still be in.

Apparently seeing right through his son as well the eldest Blake announced that they needed to load his son up and get him to the hospital ASAP. Arthur would go with him.

"You'll give me a lift." Shin added, pointing a commanding finger in Bane's direction.

Nodding in agreement, Bane was onboard with that plan. He would have preferred to ride in the ambulance with Robin, but his size meant he'd likely get in the way of the medics. Robin's well-being came first. And now that he'd accepted the fact that he was stuck with the idiot being loaded into the ambulance as ordered, earning points with his future in law just made sense.

Plus, it would make getting to Robin once they were at the hospital a great deal easier.

"I'm going with you guys."

When Bane glanced at Shin in silent question the older man just shrugged, then told his ex-wife she could come, if that's what she wanted. But they were heading out now.

"Fine."

)

So they saw Robin and Arthur off, then headed through the crowds to get to where Bane's driver had parked his car. Along the way Robin's father took a frantic call from Eames, who had tried and apparently failed multiple times to get ahold of Arthur after seeing his idiot boyfriend climbing the side of the highway wall, then the bridge on the news. Bane had some sympathy for the man-and also made a mental note to see if he couldn't see about cementing that relationship further. If Arthur had to take care of the British man twenty-four seven, he'd be far too busy to interfere with Bane's plans where Robin was concerned.

Though even with Robin's twin out of the way the man still had an annoyingly large family.

Speaking of which, Bane hadn't anticipated that he would be giving rides to Robin's family today, otherwise he'd have used his small limousine. Instead, he'd opted for the Hummer, which meant they needed to sort out who was sitting in the front with the driver and who was sitting in the back.

Captain Harper solved that by stating that she and her ex-husband would take the back. Unless he was too big to fit in the front, of course.

Bane mentally took a moment to be sorry she hadn't been killed earlier, as he anticipated her being a constant thorn in his side when it came to Robin. But for the time being Bane opted to remain civil. He would take the front.

Once they were all situated in their assigned seats and the car was started Robin's stepmother turned in her seat to better face and look into her ex's eyes, the two seeming to have a conversation of several minutes without either opening their mouth for reasons other than breathing.

It was impressive, Bane silently mused. Especially since they hadn't been a couple for so long.

Someday he and Robin would be able to do the same-and Robin would no doubt annoy him as much as Shin seemed to be annoying his ex.

Probably more.

They were about halfway to the hospital-which was thankfully not that far away from the police station for obvious reasons-when Shin broke the silence and just flat out asked her what had happened leading up to the bridge confrontation.

She wasn't pleased to be asked in front of Bane, that was obvious, but after a moment's pause to make sure that Bane got that message loud and clear the police captain did as asked.

Apparently, she'd been feeling eyes on her for the past three days or so. That's about as far as she got before Shin started tearing into her for this being the first time he'd heard about this. He kept his voice ice cold, Bane noted, but the fact that Shin was pissed beyond words came through loud and clear nonetheless.

Proving that she was more like Robin than she'd ever acknowledge, Captain Harper stiffly stated that she'd had it under control. And she'd had no proof or visual description of her possible shadow anyway. It had just been a feeling.

"Bullshit." Was Shin's response to that.

Possibly because she knew he was right and that this was an argument she couldn't win, Harper continued her summary of the chain of events.

She'd had an interview four blocks from their precinct this afternoon. She'd opted to walk there for the exercise and to get some sun in.

On that Bane called complete and total bullshit. She'd obviously wanted to open a window for her potential stalker to climb in through so that she could beat the crap out of him, then arrest him. A glance in the rearview mirror showed that Shin thought the same, and was equally unimpressed with this very Robin move.

Ignoring the looks both men gave her, Harper stiffly carried on. "I sensed him as soon as I left the interview's building. He's very good, but I'm better. I still couldn't get a lock on him visually though. I tried using the standard 'sitting duck because I'm so absorbed with my tablet I deserve to walk into oncoming traffic' maneuver, and he did get closer. Close enough I got a hint of a visual in a store window. I was about to whirl around and get a full one, risk tipping my hand, when things went to hell."

That by hell she meant Robin had been added to the mix came through loud and clear.

Fair.

"One minute." And so saying Shin retrieved his phone from his pocket, reading over the message that had been texted to him, and then put it in his pocket again without saying anything about its contents. Instead, he simply picked up where they'd left off in the conversation.

"So, he didn't say anything to you. And you didn't recognize him."

"Should I have?"

Another long, shared look between the former couple.

"Robin came running at and then past you, gave chase, and you followed after them. I assume once they were both on the bridge, between the traffic and the wind, you weren't able to hear any part of their conversation. Or at least not with enough clarity to be sure what you heard with one hundred percent accuracy."

Bane did appreciate the way his future father in law's mind worked. If he could get the older man on his side, it would most certainly make things easier for him in the future.

After a long, very hard stare, Robin's stepmother agreed that no, she couldn't swear to what was said on the bridge. She'd only caught a few bits and pieces. None of which had made any sense to her.

Bane imagined his thoughts ran parallel with what Shin was thinking. Which was that she had heard things they'd have rather she not heard-but at least for now she intended to keep those things to herself and not put them in her official report.

Meeting Bane's gaze in the mirror Captain Harper shared a long look with him, then cut her gaze back to her ex-husband to ask if he knew the name of the man who'd been following her. And why he'd been following her in the first place.

Now to see what new information might be gained, Bane thought as he waited to see how Shin would frame things. How much he would reveal-or conceal.

"He was an internationally known thief and killer. He went by many names, most commonly Roman. Arthur knew about him because the news of his escape from a maximum-security prison in Russia recently is making its way through the art world. He recently robbed a museum in Vienna, leaving behind his late father's calling card. A late father whose life was ended by the Long Syndicate."

"By the White Dragon? wait. Do you mean Swarzer Tiger? Long Ka-shing was said to have kill that guy, right? He was pretty famous up until the rumored beheading."

"Yes."

Harper frowned; skepticism heavy in her voice. "So, what, the guy's got a hard-on for me because I got to the Long family before he did? Not to mention the old man was dead before we shut them down. That makes no sense. And Robin just happened to recognize him because Arthur told him about him?"

"More like Arthur thought the bastard might come this way, and so warned us to keep an eye out for him."

The woman might have been stupid enough to let a man like Shin Blake slip through her fingers, but when it came to cop things it seemed she was far more intelligent.

"The case Finnes is on. Long Bai. Throat slit. You think it was this Roman guy?"

"The possibility did occur to me."

A dark look from the captain. "And did you tell Finnes about your suspicions?"

"I started to. He didn't take kindly to my statement that I believed the murder to be in connection to Bai's family and the syndicate. He thought that obvious."

Her dry question of whether Roman's name was brought up made it clear she anticipated Shin's answer, which was that no, they hadn't got that far before Finnes had shut the conversation down.

What would have been said next was interrupted by Bane's driver, who stated that they'd arrived at the hospital, and which entrance did they need?

"The main entrance, thank you."

The driver glanced in Bane's direction to confirm, Bane nodding his assent.

And as they pulled up it was Harper's turn to have her phone go off with a text, the contents of which she did share.

Commissioner Gordon was on his way to the hospital to meet with them.

That should be interesting.

)

The news that he was going to need surgery wasn't unexpected. A real pisser, of course, but Blake had seen it coming. Once the adrenaline and thrill at surviving had started to wear off Blake had felt things moving around that shouldn't have been in his knee. And it had already been in bad shape to begin with. Really, all things considering he was lucky, so Blake wasn't complaining. At least for right now.

It was rather amusing, the fact that his present cooperative behavior was freaking out his aunt a little, Blake silently thought to himself. But that was only to be expected. The woman knew him, after all.

She was also giving Arthur some dark looks as the paramedics had tattled on them about the whole pants removal thing. Naturally Arthur wasn't letting those looks get to him in the slightest.

As his brother had very calmly pointed out, Blake had known the risks and had considered the safety of the jeans worth it. The idiot-aka Blake himself-had brought this on himself.

Harsh. But fair.

Currently Arthur was standing off to one side, talking on the phone with Eames. Or to be more accurate Arthur was leading Eames through some breathing exercises to help with the hopefully mild panic attack Eames was having as a result of seeing Arthur be Spider-man.

Thinking about that had Blake asking if his dad was there yet. He was really asking about Bane, but didn't want to get into that with his dad's sister. She already thought he was crazy enough because of the pants thing.

He'd also appreciate a distraction from the pain. They weren't giving him the really good stuff just yet.

"He's in the waiting room. With Lara and Bane."

It was a testament to how much his aunt hated her former sister-in-law for breaking her brother's heart, how much more disdain was in her voice when she said the other woman's name. Bane's was basically an afterthought of disapproval.

"Do you need to speak with Shin?" His aunt asked.

"No. He'll just join you in telling me off about the pants. And I'd rather have more drugs in my system when that happens."

"It was a stupid thing to do."

"So you said. In two languages."

"It cannot be overstated."

"You said that too."

"Robin."

"Shutting up now."

"That would be best. Especially if you want the good drugs."