Batman and Catwoman: Crime Comic? or Romance Novel?

While You Were Sleeping

It wasn't at all calming. To the Batman, an empty mind made him want to scratch his skin off, but there was really nothing that he could do. Nothing he could say. He had no answer.

Could they work out?

Would he let himself into a relationship?

If Bruce Wayne was in a relationship, could Batman date Catwoman?

The tumbler slowly creeped through an empty downtown, even slower as it crossed by Daggett's building. Bruce imagined breaking in through the roof, catching him dancing drunk in a robe that would irk PETA, and he would beat the cruel man senseless. But then he'd have to admit, through act, of course, that he cared about Catwoman. And that could get her in more danger than she could ever walk into herself. The gas pedal hugged the leather floor and the Tumbler flied through downtown, towards the Old Town. The Batmobile parked in an alley, shrouded in its darkness as Batman worked his way into Selina Kyle's apartment.

The room looked like a tornado had passed through; pillows on the ground, lamp shades lay 50 yards from where the bases were, shattered. The bed was in dishevel; the purple sheets were half on half off over the barren bed. Of course it was empty; the owner was sleeping in his bed, in Wayne Manor. He doubted though if she was the legal owner of the jewels strone across the silk sheets. Batman shook his head as an amused smiled ghosted his lips, and bent over the ground hugging bed, only to be stopped by a ruffle in the sheets. The detective guessed who it was, correctly. He grabbed Isis through the covers, knowing she was still drugged. He got a vial of the antidote from his belt and injected it behind her ears, in the vein that ran through her neck. A loud pressure release of air, and a drowsing screech from the cat, and it was all quiet again. He pulled off the covers and scooped Isis up in one arm, stroking her grey hair as he looked for her basket. As he stood watching her sleep, Batman regained his purpose.

Fox had prepared the antidote in batches, and after curing the cat, his next stop was the precinct. He waited for Detective Blake in an alley across the 13th, watching the small building that was busy crowded with animal control, the DEA, and the night's arrests. A few low key media vans hung about too, hoping to get some scraps thrown their way before everyone else did. Blake was jogging up right after the 2 minutes it took for Batman to observe his surrounding.

The protege kept looking back from whence he came, not too thrilled to be out in the cold night. Gotham winter was merciless, right up there with Chicago. He took the bag of antidote from the Batman quickly and carefully, gratefully running back into the mosh pit of the precinct. Gordon wondered out loud how the bag appeared on his desk, and the Tumbler quietly skipped town. Towards the Asylum to give the doctor a taste of his own medicine.

Sneaking in wasn't a difficult task for the man who'd made sure of increased security at the insane Arkham Asylum. He waited in around the hall as guards passed, clung to the elevator ropes as the vehicle descended to the ward he wanted to see. Milo's cell was empty, and Batman willingly waited in the dark. The prison guards tossed the drug lord into his new room, and the skinny man whined at them as they locked the door behind.

"Nice place," said the darkness and Milo spun around, as fearful as a lost child.

The Batman stepped out of the dark corner, illuminated by the moonlight from the small window. Milo shrunk to the floor as the detective walked closer, appearing taller at each step.

"Antsy, Milo?"

The prisoner lunged at the thick metal door, banging and screaming to no one's ears.

"They won't hear you. Not till I'm done with you."

The sentence was familiar to Milo, and he regretted ever crossing paths with the Batman. No one knew what happened in the cell, only hearing his screams as the Batman left him injected with his own poison.

"Is she worth it?" A female voice stopped the detective as he walked through the empty halls. He turned to the glass wall, watching Ivy pet a Moonlight Primrose.

"Who?" he tested her knowledge.

"There can be only so many reasons you came back for him. He hurt someone you care for."

The Batman stood silent. Ivy smiled and walked around her room, arranging her flowers.

"Our life isn't a luxury. And it doesn't allow us the pleasure of company. The Batman should know that better than anyone."

Nothing.

"This flower is something, isn't it? One whiff of its fragrance and I could forget everything."

Could they work out?

Would he let himself into a relationship?

If Bruce Wayne was in a relationship, could Batman date Catwoman?

There would be no relationship to work, if she didn't even know who he was.

His gaze fell on the thick petalled flower in Ivy's room, and for the first time, despite the pain somewhere in another organ, his brain had answers.

So, while Selina was sleeping...