Batman and Catwoman: Family Mystery

Part 20: Giving

(C.U)

Christmas really was the season of giving. Recently, Selina had found herself in a rather flipped situation. Years ago she was living on the street, surviving on other people's charity. Today, she had enough to create her own charities supporting children and animals. All this was possible thanks to Mr. Wayne.

Selina wanted to show him her gratitude for setting her up; if only she could catch him. Mr. CEO was globe trotting, no doubt expanding his empire. (He was, just not the way she expected). Luckily, he was home for the holidays and would participate in the bachelor auction supporting animal welfare.

Two birds, one stone. Or, well, more like 25 thousand stones.

Selina would have spent time with Bruce, but his time was up. He'd been gone too long, and even when he did give her the time of day, he'd been too cold towards her advances. But her cat and mouse chase with the Batman... wooh! They were something else. If only she could keep his attention for something other than crime. But then again-

"All done," Mavin said, breaking her thoughts.

Selina had dressed in a pink halter neck dress for the auction, and Mavin had just finished her hair and make up.

"You ready?"

"Yes Mavin, thank you. You got the check book?"

"Yes ma'am. In the purse!"

"Excellent. Let's go."

Her white Jaguar XJR was at the auction ball a 25 minute ride from her home. Selina loved the drive; it was fast, powerful, and beautiful, just like a jaguar should be. She exchanged her car key for a valet ticket and lead Mavin inside. The girls dropped off their coats at the check in and made the proper arrangements to participate in the auction.

The auction was already underway when they entered, some rich kids had already been sold and were cozying up to their dates. Selina rolled her eyes at the excessive pda around her. She didn't have to wait long for the last auction of the night: Bruce Wayne. Of course Gotham's most eligible bachelor had a very high starting bid, no lower than a thousand. There were bids for twos, fives, sixes...

"25 thousand dollars!" Selina announced as she clicked her token.

The crowd hushed, only murmurs going around. No one was going to spend more than 10 thousand on animals, not even for Bruce Wayne. Some of the people in the room alone were wearing faux faux fur, which was in fact very real.

"25 thousand! The auctioneer yelled. "Going once, going twice... SOLD!" He pounded the gavel. "To Ms. Selina Kyle."

A customary applause and the auction ended with the last sale of the night. Bruce had not once taken his eyes off Selina. Knowing her, he knew she would spend excessively for the welfare of animals, and he would get a chance to spend time with her.

He'd been out of Gotham too long, meeting new people, discovering new worlds. He missed home; he missed her. The auctioneer pounded his gavel and Bruce stepped off the stage, already making his way to her. The party had resumed when he got to her, and he took her hand and kissed it.

"Ms. Kyle." He acknowledged her.

"Mr. Wayne." She cockily replied back.

The two would have stood in silence if someone hadn't cleared their throat.

"My secretary, Mavin."

"Happy holidays. How are you tonight, Ms. Mavin?" Mavin blushed shaking hands with him.

They exchanged a quick greeting and then Mavin got busy writing the check.

"Thank you for your donation. I'm flattered."

"Please understand, it's purely for the animals, Mr. Wayne. You're off the hook." Selina thrust the check toward him but he held her hand.

"But you're not." He teased.

"I beg your pardon?" Selina angrily looked between her hand and his face.

Bruce let go. "You bought a date and I'm honor bound to deliver. I'm not a man who gives up easily."

Selina smiled and tucked back a stray hair. "All right. Lunch then." Her nights were usually reserved for someone else, especially now that he was back in town.

Before anything else could be said, a parade of sirens and gunfire ran by the hall, changing the atmosphere of the party.

"I wonder what's going on?" Selina mused to her secretary, but when she turned back to Bruce, he was gone.

The police squads chased after an army van, taking on heavy gunfire that their regulation cars could not handle. Still the chase went on, a couple police scars skid and crashed as the van took a sharp right turn, but the batmobile took their spot.

The military grade bullets did nothing against Batman's car, and he activated the tumbler's own firing system to shoot out the tires of the van ahead. The van screeched as far as it could on burning rims before crashing into a building corner. All the passengers stumbled out, some trying to take their cargo along.

The Batman had taken his time getting out of his car and some thugs had run up the fire escapes to escape him, but he followed. He'd just made it to the roof when someone kicked him in the face, knocking him back, but he used his grappling hook to pull himself back on.

They attacked him from multiple approaches, engaging him in a long fight. The Batman had used one of his gadgets to collect all their guns and forced them into a hand to hand fight, which he easily won. He tied them up together and tossed them over the building, leaving them hanging for Gordon.

Batman lurked in the shadows, watching the commissioner arrive on scene.

"Watch yourself men, these guys are dangerous." Gordon half joked as his team got the helplessly tied up criminals down.

Unnoticed between the commotion, he placed himself in front a dark alley, waiting till he felt his presence behind.

"Any idea who they are?" Gordon asked the darkness.

"Not locals. I've been following a rumor that Red Claw might be passing through Gotham."

"The most ruthless terrorist leader around, and we don't even have a picture of him."

"I'll see what I can find on my end, you keep an ear out, see what anyone knows."

"I'll get on it. Happy holidays."

This time, the whirl of the grappling hook came after Gordon was done talking. The commissioner smiled; Christmas really was the season of giving.