Coming Back Home

2. The Bat and The Cat, Part I

Ever since Bruce's and selina's conversation on the roof, bruce has been grubby. Walking around the house talking to himself and training none stop.

Even Alfred is more worried about him than usual. And that says a lot. When he came out to the bathroom selina was standing in the window to his suprisement , just like when they were kids and she would give him a visit. Now they stood there in his dad's old office like they used too

"what are you doing doing here selina?" he asked while still drying his damp hair.
Selina looked at her surroundings before acknowledging his question. She finally said

" I like what you've done with the place. Very dark."

"What are you doing here, selina?" he tried again this time taking a few cautious step towards her.
She giggled shortly before answering.

"You honestly think that you can just come back from only God knows what place and kiss me. And then walk away. Wow.
Wherever you have been, I think it has done something to your head. "
She jumped down from the window. Mirroring his previous action.

Bruce took a deep breath and tossed the wet towel on one of the cushions near him, fiddling over his answer.
"I only did what I should have done a long time ago."

"Oh, I see. guilt, it's always guilt isn't bruce." she said shaking her head slightly.

" No." Her eyebrow rose a little.

"Selina I don't regret anything I've done. When I left, I couldn't say goodbye to you because..."he trailed off breaking eye contact.

" Because what Bruce? Why did you leave me like that?"

"Because I couldn't look you in the eye and tell you that I might never come back. I couldn't hurt you like that. I just, ... could not do that to you."

"But you did B. You hurt me more than you could ever imagine." Her eyes turned glossy and a but red with each uttered word.

After a beat of silence Bruce spoke up with the same words he had told her the previous night.
"I'm sorry Selina".

Selina were starting to get tired of those words but she ignored them completely. Instead she retorted
"Tell me."

"Tell you what?" gazing in her direction from where his stare had previously been occupied by the window.

" Tell me what you were gonna say to me the night you left me." she got the words out out mostly steady without a hint of hurt.

Bruce clenched his jaw, his eyes swirling with emotion thinking about the memories he so desperately been pushing down for the last decade. He took a few further slow steps, sizeing up selina's lower figure.

"Selina don't. You should go."he spoke with a deadly calm in his voice.

Selina let out a breathy laugh as her head shook downward. She looked up at Bruce again and staring into his almost black eyes before giving her awaited answer.

"Even after a decade you still can't say it to my face." she said with a mocking smile.

Bruce knew what she was doing, she was mocking him into doing what she wanted. She had been doing since he meet her. He never of course fell for it but just this time he would play along.

"I was gonna tell you, that... I wanted you to come with me, that I- we could leave Gotham and never look back. And that...
His hand travel up and down he forearm slowly in long strokes.
"That I can't live without you by my side. And I... Love you Selina."

She was speechless. She couldn't look him in he eyes so her gaze settled instead on his bare breast which still had a few dropplets of water hanging on to him.
Her mind wandered for a while about what was going to counter those words.

"Why... why didn't tell me that?" she at last settled on.

His fingers lingered but eventually left her arm and placed them back at his side.

"I could not take you from Gotham. I knew it would need u one day when I wasn't around . And I realized that this was something I needed to do on my own. I had to become something else, someone else. I wanted to protect you."

" I can protect myself " he smiled at that, a genuine one.

" I know. "he said the smile not faltering.

Selina backed away she turned around and took a light jump to the window edge again. A few last words to her surprise left her lips before vanishing.

"Was that last part you said true? She found herself asking.

"What are you referring to? he asked in a fake innocent tone.

"You know what."she snarled.

" Yes, it was true." he spoke with outmost conviction.

"Is it still true?"

"What do you think?"

"I'll see you around Bruce." she smirked and left.