The Bat and The Cat

Part 39-Bane

"Master Bruce," Alfred said coming out of the elevator that led to the Batcave. "I've just found out Commissionaire Gordon is in the hospital after having suffered an 'accident' in the sewers."

"The sewers?" Bruce asked.

"They believe it might be linked with the incident at the bank."

"Right. Could you prepare a car for me, Alfred?"

"You're going as Bruce Wayne?"

"Well, I think it might be a bit strange for the Batman to show up at the hospital in the middle of the day," Bruce chuckled.

"Very well."

*

Bruce had left his own appointment with his doctor with a long list of things he should stop doing. He crumbled the piece of paper and shoved it in his pocket before putting on a ski mask and climbing down from his room all the way to Commissioner Gordon's.

"Gordon," he said softly as he entered the room.

Jim Gordon reluctantly opened his old and tired eyes. "You're back?" he asked, his voice week, sedated.

"Thought you might need the help," Bruce said in that raspy voice.

"It's a whole network," Jim said, "an underground network of criminals planning to take over Gotham."

"Do you have a name?" Bruce asked, briefly looking out the door's window.

"Bane. He's the leader."

"Bane," Bruce repeated the name to himself. "I'll see what I can find out."

"Be careful," Jim warned, "he's dangerous."

"So am I," Bruce said and jumped out the window right before two young officers walked in.

*

"What did Gordon say?" Selina asked.

She was in the Batcave when he'd gotten there. Sat in a chair, her long legs propped on the desk.

"Not much. He was in a rough shape," he said, sitting down in the chair next to her.

"Who did that to him?" she asked.

"His name is Bane. He's a war mercenary. Been planning something for months, apparently. He has a whole underground network."

Selina pulled her feet off the desk. "He sounds dangerous."

"Yeah, he most likely is," Bruce answered unflinchingly.

Selina shook her head. "You wanna go after him."

"I have to."

"No. You don't have to do any of this. It's a choice."

Bruce shook his head. "It's not a choice for me."

Selina rolled her eyes but gave in. "Fine. What do you need my help with?"

Bruce turned his chair so that he could fully face her. He placed a warm palm on her knee. "I don't want to make you do anything."
​
Selina's gaze flew from his hand on her knee to his deep dark eyes. "You're not making me..."

"But I am asking and-."

"And if I wouldn't want to help, I would refuse, Bruce," she said interrupting him in his guilt-driven turmoil.

He nodded and pulled away. "I need you to visit some old friends and get me a meeting with Bane."

"Alright. But you do know, that that will happen most likely on his terms?" she asked cautiously.

"I do. I'll be ready."

"Good," she said and then got up. "I'm gonna need a suit."

Bruce got up as well. "I might have saved something in the back," he smirked.

*

Selina felt rejuvenated in her old catsuit. Bruce had made some improvements but overall, it felt the same. Her claws, her whip, her boots; all like she remembered them. Empowering. She crouched down to test the flexibility of the suit then slowly and gracefully got back to standing tall.
Bruce was watching her. She looked the same, as if no time had passed between now and the last time he had seen her in the catsuit. He couldn't remember that night very well but he could remember her, moving as she did now, graceful and dangerous, stealthy and sensual; all the weapons she needed to defeat her enemies. Or at least him. Always him. It wasn't only her body that attracted him but her movements, how deliberate and perfect they were, how in sync with who she was; something he had never felt for himself. He was always playing a role, always stuck between the billionaire and the bat, not sure to which he belonged to more.

"Not polite to stare, Batsy," she purred.

Bruce only chuckled and fitted the cowl on his head.

"You don't have to babysit me, you know?" she asked mockingly.

"I'm not," he replied, "I have other things to do.  But Cat, be careful."

Selina licked her bright red lips. "Promise!"

*
Selina returned to the Batcave in the early hours of the morning. Bruce had spent most of the night waiting for her. When she walked in, he got up and rushed to meet her.

"You good?" he asked concerned.

Selina took off her mask and shook out her hair. "As good as new," she said offering him a tight-lipped smile.

Bruce's concern then turned into a frown. "You're late."

Selina rolled her eyes and walked past him, their shoulders briefly touching. "I wasn't aware I had a curfew."

"Selina," he warned.

"Oh, would you relax, Bruce? I'm here, I'm safe, I've got you what you wanted," she said grabbing a drink.

"You met with Bane?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Just an associate. The man is hard to reach. But you're in luck. Apparently, he wants to see you too."

Bruce clenched his jaw. He'd seen that coming, Bane wanting to take down the Batman was an understandable move, but something about this felt strange. "Is your source reliable?"

"As reliable as the sources in the Narrows can be," she said.

"Fair enough. When does he want this meeting?"

Selina's nonchalant appearance drifted slightly. "Tomorrow night."

"Where?"

"We will be escorted there by one of his men," she said uneasily.

Bruce nodded. He seemed to be weighing something in his mind. Selina desperately wished he would share it with her. "Will you be safe?" he finally asked.

Selina's mouth fell open but she didn't speak. He was worried about her now; now when his life was most likely in the biggest danger it would ever be, and he was thinking about how he could keep her safe. "Ah, I'm just the middle man," she eventually said.

"Yeah," Bruce laughed a sad laugh. "I'm gonna go get some sleep now."

As he walked past her, Selina had to bite down on her lip so that she wouldn't open her mouth and let out every fear she had about this plan. But she didn't know how to articulate all of this. It had been three years since she'd felt this fear and she hated it with every fibre of her being.