"Sigh..."

Sighing for the... unknown amount of times that day. Velma Dinkley found herself pacing in the waiting room she had been led to. Yet again, waiting for the arrival of Bruce Wayne to go over paperwork of one their joint projects. Over and hour she was stuck on standby... though sadly it wasn't the first time, and also not the last time she figured she would be subjected to waiting around.

"I really should be used to this... Really I should." She chided herself aloud, shaking her head and sitting into a nearby, fancy looking chair with a huff. "Though he could at least have the decency to not make me wait so long."

Grumbling, Velma always regretted having to come to the Wayne main building, but some things needed the signature of Bruce Wayne himself... to allow their projects to continue to the next stage. Or correct an error that had occurred in the testing and shift something in how the product that her material was being used for. And that needed to be discussed with the head honcho himself... as annoying as he was. And Wayne Industries was the best place for her to get involved with, business wise. Owner not withstanding...

"Siiiiiiigh."

To Velma, Bruce Wayne was a necessary evil to continue her work and put her patients into things that could benefit the world as a whole. But the man himself, drove her up the wall!

"He's selfish, brash, and obnoxious with his constant flirting while we are working..." Flirting with OTHER woman, mainly. He would occasionally make comments her way, but mostly he was distracted with the people under him, as they were trying to go over something in the lab. He didn't have the respect to keep his attention on her while she was trying to discuss their projects... let along 'look' her way.

"'What, no... what are you thinking Dinkley?" She mentally chided herself. trying to bat away those kinds of thoughts. Jumping back to her feet and starting to pace yet again. Sure, he was a filthy rich man, with lots of power and prestige... (not that she needed any of those sorts of things) And a rather athletic looking build... under those sharply cut suits...

'But No...no... he's too annoying to want to have to put up with anything like that. I tried something like that before with Johnny, and it's not worth it!' The woman tried to shake her head to get rid of that memory. One of the few boyfriends she had once in the past, and one of the worst ones for sure. An even worse womanizer then Bruce, so the Billionaire at least had THAT going for him.

'...Let alone I doubt he would even turn his attention at me like that. Not with the ladies he is in the papers with...'

Her own self doubt creeping up to poke at her as she waited. But past experiences of how frustrating Bruce Wayne could be, was not even making it worth daydreaming about trying to pursue those lines of thoughts.

No matter how agonizingly single she was.

'He has had moments of seeming like a really nice guy... when he gets distracted with talking about how something we were working on. But then it is almost like he realized he wasn't being annoying, and then had to make up for lost time... and ends up even more of a hassle towards me after wards.' Velma mentally lamented. If he was like those moments all the time, she would certainly would enjoy his company more. But it was few and far between... Something she could count on one hand, sadly.

If he only acted like that all the time, Velma wouldn't be sighing so much having to come to the building.

Taking in the room, it certainly was something made for rich people. Ornate sitting options, expensive wood tabling, walls covered in books and even a working fireplace. And tons of expensive seeming wooden accents to the edges of the room. Like crown molding, and the baseboard that wrapped around every corner. A stark contrast to the sterile and bleached white walls of the laboratories of another part of the same building, and the more office type areas for the various level of employees that worked at Wayne Enterprises.

It certain gave her a plush variety of sitting options to be stuck wanting on... Velma had been to several of these types of rooms before in the building, but not to often to this one being so close to Bruce's main office. At least she wouldn't have to travel too far, to finally get to him. But it was annoying to have to put aside such a long amount of her personal time, to need to deal with this hassle. And not even dealing with it yet, but stuck WAITING to even see the man. Famous or no, it was not common courtesy to let someone delay that long.

She didn't even work for him, but was rather more an associate with a piece of a puzzle, that both parts were needed with equal measure. So, not a full on partner, but an invested party with a stake in the results.

Hearing a knocking at the door, her head snapped up and watched the dapper man enter the room. From toe to tails, Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne's butler was a proper man to... buttle. He didn't just look the part; from his immaculate attire, to his neat and tidy personal grooming... But he also was a lot more welcoming then his 'master'. On many occasions, making sure she was taken care of while stuck waiting to be seen.

He was an older gentleman, grey and wizened. But while his form might seem more frail to the casual observer... Velma knew better. She had seen the man react and catch things before they spilled and/or broke with a speed that she herself might be able to do in a gut reaction. But his was more, practiced. Maybe it was just because British butlers were held to a higher standard... But he certainly was more impressive then all the other butlers she had met in the past... Ignoring maybe Lurch, from the Addams Family.

Hard to really rate him as a butler, that Lurch.

Alfred also intrigued Velma on a personal level. His view at her almost always started with a quizzical, curious one. Almost as if he had his own 'detective sense' mode, where he took in her condition and adjusted accordingly. Probably a butler thing, ready to serve as needed. But it was similar to what she and the gang did often on a Mystery, with all of the various personalities that they had to deal with on a regular basis. So, Velma appreciated the calculating effort that Bruce Wayne's butler had shown her... Now if only his master had been that observant.

He scanned her over, taking in her usual daily outfit and the added labcoat that she had been on due to checking the lab area earlier that day before she was stuck in the waiting room. Her files clutched under one arm and paused in mid pace... trying to wear a hole in the floor with her impatient mary janes.

"Greetings Miss Velma, my apologies that we have been making you wait so long." Offering her a short bow, he continued. "If you will please follow me."

"Thank you Alfred." Never sure what to really call him... torn between being respectful, or a slightly more casual since she works with his boss and often sees Mr. Pennyworth when she visited. "Lead on, if you will."

Pressing past the doors, Velma was finally on her way. Taking up pace behind Alfred, she followed him down a bit of a long hallway till she reached the main office of Bruce Wayne. Large, ornate paintings of various posh looking figures lined the walls. Each probably of some board member, or other high up staff member in the company. Ending with an extra large depiction of Bruce Wayne, making Velma roll her eyes at the sight. Even more grand standing for the man, flaunting that he was the big man in charge having the extra large portrait of him... with his broad shoulders and expensive taste in wardrobe.

... But that is not the Bruce that Velma found herself looking upon, once she stepped through the double doors leading to his main office.

Before the door, she had taken a short breath in and out. Preparing herself to finally interact with Mr. Wayne. Alfred opening the door and gestured for her to enter into the lair of the big wig himself. But once she came into the room, she took in how frazzled and worn Bruce actually looked before her. Not even trying to fake some semblance of mock swagger or pompous superiority. Just a very, exhausted looking Bruce Wayne, barely being able to be seen past a mountain of paperwork that populated the surface of his desk. His tie slightly askew, hair unkempt and clear bags under his eyes. The man looked deflated.

"Ah, Velma. Come on in. Forgive the mess. I had a bunch of late nights and... sigh. And it seems that some things have gotten out of hand. And I am a bit behind, as you can see."

Stopping in her tracks, Velma was stunned. She herself had been buried to that degree before, but this certainly was an impressive level of backed up, procrastinated work. On the one hand, she wanted to be upset at him. No doubt probably spending his nights in the company of some woman of the week he had... But it certainly looked like his night, or nights hadn't been going well. Maybe even the great Bruce Wayne, had some bad days and struck out. Leaving him looking haggard, hung over and worse for wear.

'Probably was out drinking or something.' She snorted to herself mentally. Unable to think past the lies that he made her think. His secret staying safe. But it certainly didn't make her think very positive on how he looked, or the reasoning behind it.

But also on the other hand, she had a rough idea of just how many projects he had in the works. Seeing just how many were in the tech division of Wayne Enterprise along side the few of her own. So, she could easily picture just how many files and data that had to pass by the man in charge and be processed. And it didn't take much inactivity for things to pile up and start building a city skyline across the surface of his workspace.

But, she was hoping that her files... had actually made it past the high-rise in front of him. And he had called her into his office because he had finished her status report and was planning on giving it to her.

"I hate to say this, but..."