Divination (Joker x Batman x OC)

Chapter 131

"You didn't sleep at all," Adriana said to Bruce in the morning. It was only six in the morning but the early summer sun was beaming.

They were still in bed and he was laying on his back, looking up at the ceiling. His eyes drifted over to her, and he gave her a weak smile.

"I'll sleep after this is taken care of," he said to her.

"Bruce," she whispered and moved over to him, putting one of her legs and both of her arms on his body. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. I just...thought I could handle it and that it wasn't a big deal.."

"And now?" he asked.

Now she could see what he saw the previous night. His memories were clear...he could hear the sounds she was making as she writhed in pain. Dreaming of burning alive. Her gift slowly killing her. Gasping for air.

"I...I was wrong," she said.

"How are you feeling now?" he asked and touched her arm.

"I'm okay..I feel normal."

"Okay," Bruce said. "It's alright...this will all be over in two days. Sidi said she's waiting for a shipment...it should be delivered on Saturday. Some very rare herb from Haiti."

"Yeah..." Adriana said, seeing Bruce and Sidi's entire conversation from the previous day.

"Are you angry with her?" Bruce asked.

"I am," Adriana said. "But I can understand why she did what she did."

"She loves you. I love you. Arsenio loves you," Bruce said. "We need you alive and well."

"I know," Adriana said.

"It's quite shocking to learn you've been in my head all this time and I didn't know," Bruce said.

"Since South Africa," she told him.

"South Africa..." Bruce said, remembering her behavior and attitude change. "The yacht party."

"Yes," she said.

"That long?" he asked. "You seemed upset when we left."

"Bruce..." she said, seeing the elephant in the room. "I...I saw what you did."

"What?" he asked, genuinely missing the point. He had put what he had done so far away in the back of his mind that he wasn't even aware of it anymore. "What have I done?"

He raised his eyebrows, waiting for an answer. She wanted him to say it. How could he not?

"The Joker," she said, unable to control herself.

"Right," Bruce said slowly as if recalling a distant memory. "Right."

"Bruce," Adriana said and pushed herself up a bit with her hands on his chest. "How could you...forget something like that?"

"Adriana," Bruce said. "I haven't forgotten. But to be honest...I think it's something we all should try to forget. It wasn't my proudest moment to have to lock him away, but the city is much safer now because of what I had to do. You made me promise not to kill that monster, and I did what I needed to do."

"What? Are you saying this was my fault?" Adriana asked in disbelief.

"No!" Bruce said. "No one is at fault! There is no fault here...I did what needed to be done."

"Bruce you-.." Adriana started to speak again but she was speechless.

"It was...cruel, harsh, inhumane..." Bruce admitted. "But it was better than some of the things he has done to others. Sweetheart...you are so forgiving and kind. That's why you asked me not to kill him even though he forced you to work for him. Committing crimes. Imagine if you had been caught while working for that monster. You would be in prison right now...your life would have been ruined. But you...asked me to spare his life because you are kind. You are a saint. I spared his life and now he can never hurt anyone else."