Catching I Bruce Wayne

XXII

Once the meeting ended Bruce and Skylar went back to the Wayne Manor. Diana was going to pick her up at midnight. This gave them around two hours, to talk it over and for her to pack her stuff. 

They went to Bruce's bedroom while Skylar started to pack. She had brought over some clothes when she spent a few days here at Christmas and Bruce had brought her bag from their trip to Central City. 

" Are you mad?" Skylar asked. " No," Bruce replied. She turned to him. " Are you sure?" she asked again. He sighed. " I admit, I let my feelings get the best out of me at the meeting, but I know it's the right thing to do, I don't want you to hurt yourself," he said. 

She nodded. " Yeah, exactly. I'm around you, Dick, Alfred, other people. I can't go through what happened earlier happen again and hurt someone. Especially, someone, I care about," she explained. Bruce didn't answer and Skylar bit her lip, being reminded of her outburst. 

" I'm sorry," she mumbled. " I shouldn't have stormed in like that, it was wrong of me, I, I just got so angry, all I wanted once I was out of that cell was to come home and have a shower, I swear, then I let my thoughts anger me and then, well, you know," she rambled.

Bruce walked toward her, putting his hands on her neck softly and making her look at him. " That's okay, you were right, we, I, should've thought that you might want to relax after going through all of that," he said. She faintly smiled at his reply. " Still, I shouldn't have done that, and I'm sorry," 

" I thought we agreed on not saying 'sorry' anymore," Bruce pouted. Skylar bit her lip. " But," she started and he kissed her, not allowing her to talk. When he leaned back he smirked. " This is how it goes down, right?" he asked and she chuckled. " Fine," she breathed out.

Then she went on with packing. She didn't know whether they would provide clothes for her, or how long she was going to stay at Themyscira, if the number of clothes she was bringing going to be enough.

When she was done she went to the bathroom. She gasped once she looked at the mirror and saw herself. She never had the chance to see how bad she looked ever since she got kidnapped. Her lip and cheek were swollen.

Skylar slowly pulled the shirt she had and saw the marks of the taser where Roy used on her. They were little pointy reddish marks all over her body. Some of those were swollen too. Then her eyes drifted to her neck, the parts where Roy choked her. She looked horrible.

Unintentionally her hands started to touch her bruises and tears started to form in her eyes as the memories of her torture filled her mind. As if she wasn't now safely standing in Wayne Manor, she felt like she was back in that room with Roy looking at her in an evil way. 

" Skylar?" Bruce asked, lightly knocking and the door, entering the room. She was in no shape to answer, she barely even recognized his presence in the room. He slowly walked up to her and touched her shoulder, trying to draw her attention.

She jumped with his touch, turning to him. " Bruce," she muttered, throwing herself at him and finally breaking down in his arms. He embraced her immediately. She was panting, tears were rolling down her face uncontrollably and she was almost shaking.

They slid down to the floor, on their knees, still hugging. " Sky, Sky, breathe," Bruce said, his hands moving from her shoulder to her face, making her look at him. " You have to breathe," he added, looking at her eyes. 

" I, can't," Skylar managed to make out. " I'm here, you are safe, Sky, he'll never be able to hurt you ever again, I won't let it," he softly said, caressing her cheek. After that he let her cry it out on his chest until she calmed down, her breathing becoming more steady.