It was another month gone, before Velma had known it. A long month of trying to hide it from the rest of the gang, (ignoring Daphne's knowing smile) and thinking about what was going on. And Bruce wasn't helping the situation either... still apologizing and in general being a nice guy still. It seemed that he hadn't found someone new to distract his attention too, meaning he hadn't snapped back to being rude to her.

Which was nice in a way, but her heart also wasn't handling it well.

'It's just a crush, like Daphne said. He probably doesn't even think about me that way.'

She tried to convince herself otherwise. But it was going to be hard. It was day two of back in Gotham. Their project had hit a new milestone, and was being put through testing that it was crucial that they had quick turn around on decisions. So, she was asked to stay nearby and come in while they were working on it.

Meaning she was working in close proximity with Bruce... Which wasn't good for her scattered emotions and overthinking brain.

Geared up in her lab coat and her standard clothes, she gave herself a look over before leaving the apartment. Pushing away the stray thought about how what he might think about her clothing choice. But that was foolishness to even consider. There was no need for her to change anything about herself, to garner attention from him. She is who she is, and if he did end up liking her... she wasn't going to get gussied up just to please him.

"Alright. Let's go."

Alfred was picking her up, at the request of Bruce. Sure, he had sent cars for her in the past, but this was the first time she was riding in style.. In his own personal ride. Butler leaving his Master's side, to travel the short distance away to bring her to him. She might have thought about it more, had this not be such an important time in the lab. So, she wasn't paying any attention to the overly grinning Pennyworth in the front seat. Making sure to look back at his change, with a knowing smile.

"Thank you Alfred!" She called out as she turned back to wave as he left. Him needing to park the car, letting her out at the front door, allowing her to get her badge and log in with all the safety protocols. Passing several checks, Velma was eventually on her way towards the labs. The main desk int he lobby passed along the file she was going to need for the stages of testing that was going on. So, Velma made quick work devouring the information in her packet.

Nose in the pages, Velma traversed the familiar halls of Wayne Enterprise while she caught herself up on the information. Weaving through the slight foot traffic that existed in her path, she used her peripheral vision and years of experience to gracefully navigate through the building and she read. Often doing this on Mysteries, when they were at like a museum or some other public place that had things like pamphlets and maps to memorize.

Coming to the laboratory wing, Bruce managed to spot Velma from where he had been waiting with the other lab techs for her. With the lobby having paged him that she was on her way up. But it seemed that she was so distracted, that she didn't realize that she was heading for a small section of the floor that had a recent spill. The floor still slick with cleaner, and the obvious bright yellow sign to indicate that the floor was unsafe for travel on that side of the hallway.

But with her attention on the folder in her hands and the files they contained, she was blocking the range of vision that would have allowed her to notice the danger.

"Watch out Miss Dinkley!" Called Paul, one of the science guys working in the Tech division, and someone Velma had met enough times that they knew each other by name. Pulling up her head from the distracting information to finally noticed that she was at the edge of the wet floor.

But unlike what one might seem to happen in this situation... Velma's mary janes snagged on the floor. As simple as the footwear seemed to be, Velma had made sure to deck out her usual shoes with as much technology as she could without distorting her beloved red apparel. A staple as part of her classic look. The skid proof, slip resistant treads kept her foot from sliding into the slippery liquid, but the rest of her was still moving with the momentum of her stride. Causing her to pitch towards the floor in a self trip.

But she never hit the ground, finding herself caught and being held lightly in Bruce's arms. He had closed the gap between them, to effortlessly catch her.

"Are you ok?" Dropping his voice a few octaves, Bruce moved out of habit and let loose some flowery lines that he was used to saying in situations such as this. "We really need to start meeting like this more often."

"..."

The only problem... was that Velma Dinkley was not like the normal women that he had gotten used to catching in the past. Either them being worn from standing on heels that were ill fitting but high fashion... Or throwing themselves on purpose, just to be caught up in his arms. No, the petite brunette had just literally tripped into his arms.

"...!"

That wasn't the danger. No... it was the fact that he let his guard down and moved to reply in a suave and sexy manner... That would have made any other woman swoon. But Velma was unlike any other woman he had met before. Her eyes growing as wide as saucers, her mouth dropping wide open.

Finally realizing his fatal error, Bruce slapped his hand over her mouth. Using the other hand, he scooped up Velma in the crook of his arm. Looking around for a second, he tossed a hasty excuse to the men behind him. Saying something that he wanted to make sure Velma was ok, and for them to start without them before he started trotting down the hallway.

Paul wanted to warn Bruce about not running in the halls because it was dangerous, but who was he to tell his boss what to do?

Skittering down the hallways, Bruce's mind was trying to recall which floor they were on and what his options were. Riding out the moment of shock and almost literal smoke pouring out of Velma's ears as she was processing the information she was thinking at high speed. But there was a room he could use one hallway down, another 'waiting room' he used for more 'personal' conversations that he might need to have with Alfred or Lucius Fox. Or pick up certain... communications that were confidential and required a soundproof room that was conveniently placed throughout Wayne Enterprises.

Almost there, Bruce noticed Alfred as he was walking back from fulfilling his duties, the butler's single eyebrow raised as he noticed Bruce carrying Velma in her frazzled state. Without stopping, Bruce slowed down long enough to pull out a folded fifty dollar bill from his pocket, and tuck it into the man's handkerchief pocket before continuing on to the room. Hoping that Alfred would understand and find his way into the room to assist... and possibly gloat.

Winning the betting pool, after all.

Slamming the waiting room door closed, he quickly deposited Velma on a plush seating and moved to flick a button to the side of one of the shelving. There was sounds of various things sliding into place, and triggered some white noise filters to aid in making their conversations private. Bruce quickly brought up a hand to his ear, and muttered something that Velma was too distracted to hear.

Crouching in front of her, Bruce hovered nearby as he waited with baited breath for what was going to happen. It was the moment he both dreaded, and looked forward to. Knowing it had to happen... but unable to picture exactly her reaction to it all. Well, beyond the small brain fry that was happening right now. That at least was within his predictions.

Though he was glad that he was able to get her out of public eye in time for anything else that was going to happen.

Slowly, she turned her head to have her eyes slid into focus to look at him. Her mouth slightly open still in shock, and she was like a spooked cat. Slightly fluffed out, and tense. But this was no criminal she had to run from. Actually, the total opposite. Something she was still trying to accept. And the fact that he wasn't saying anything to disprove her wild throughts...

But just staring at her expectantly.

"You're Batman." She finally said it.

"You... are Batman. The Batman... The caped crusader that me and the Gang have helped out... Member of the Justice League and... FREAKING BILLIONAIRE, PLAYBOY, BRUCE WAYNE?!"

Slapping her hands over her mouth, she just realized how loud she had been. Snapping her head around frantically and trying to see if she had just totally ruined his secret identity... only now noticing that they were not in the hallway still, but one of the types of rooms she had been to before. Hearing the drone of the white noise machine and looking back scared to Bruce, who only smiled and nodded his head.

"Don't worry. Only you have figured it out. The room is sound poof." Bruce fell back slightly and found himself sitting on his butt in front of her. Some of the tension was lost in him, as she instantly was worried about keeping his secret.

Sighing in relief, her shoulders drooped in front of her as some tension left her as well. Realizing that she hadn't just brought all his hard work crashing to the ground by her big mouth. But still... Velma was having trouble understanding the biggest reveal her mind had ever given her.

"Batman is Bruce Wayne... Bruce Wayne is Batman..." But then her eyebrows bunched together, as she brought her angry glare around at him. Sending a punch into his shoulder, flooring the surprised man at the impact. Her pushing to her feet off the seat, to stamp one down in fury.

"HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO ME!" She shouted, thinking back to all the times he had lied to her! How rude and utterly frustrating he was to her all those years. Leaving her to wait for hours... and going out of his way to act like a pompous jerk... All the stress and work he put her through!

Leaving him on the floor, she paced not wanting to look at him, she was so furious!

"HOW" She started, but as angry as she was... her mind continued to put the puzzle pieces together. Thinking about him acting with all those women in the papers. That always spoke about a new lady of the week or so, none of them lasting all that long to end up figuring out what she had discovered. Leaving them safe from the sorts of things she herself had been apart of against the darkness that she had come face to face with from his other half.

"Could..." What else was he to do to keep people in his Bruce Wayne's side of life, safe? What would she do, had she had something like that all this time? You have to protect what was the most important... even if it meant lying. Even if it was just by omission. Certainly she had her own secrets... Though nothing quite as big as being as what she just found out.

"you..." Why did he stop lying to her? All he needed was to keep up the charade and she would have never known. But he had been apologizing to her... the reasoning why, just now hitting her. That he wasn't hung over that day, but like what she had heard from the people outside of the restaurant. Batman had taken down Joker... Bruce had brought the clown prince back to his cage in Arkham. And it had taken a while!

No wonder he was so tired, and the papers were stacked taller then he was on the desk. His time was stretched between keeping his cover and taking down the demented jester's gang and the ring leader himself. But who knows how many times he had the same situation happen when they had a meeting. Yet only that time, had he not held up the lie. And after... he continued to ask her forgiveness. Being nice to her, and letting her see a side that she had only seen in passing, enough that she almost didn't believe him capable.

But that was because he was lying to her... For her own good. But why did he stop? Why did he choose to let her in on the worlds biggest secret?

"... let me like you?" Collapsing to her knees, her eyes teared up as she realized the weight of him letting her know. How much he was taking a risk... and her mind unable to understand why he was trusting her. Her, of all people with this burden. Her vision blurring as the tears pooled in her eyes, looking off at him for answers.