Monday morning, I walked into the courthouse, looking for an old friend. I craned my neck around to look for the familiar blond, and soon my keen eyes spotted him.
I walked towards Harvey, with a slight limp because of my foot, noticing him talking animatedly to one Rachel Dawes. And then it hit me.
I grinned as I came to a stop at his side.
“How’s my favourite District Attorney?” I asked as a greeting, giving them both a warm smile.
“You and Harvey know each other?”
I let Harvey answer that question, as I wasn’t sure if it was my place, looking at him with an expectant face, to which he responds with a pleading look, as if he wanted me to say it. He’s usually so confident…she really must be under his skin.
“We both went to Stanford, and dated a little while, until we realised that we were better off as friends. I was too much crazy for him to handle,” I laughed, which made Rachel relax a little more, after her body had tensed after the ‘dating’ bit was mentioned. “Plus, we argued the whole time, we were a mess, I swear, we were ready to tear each other‘s hair out, but he seems very happy, and I assume its down to you, Rachel.”
“He makes me pretty happy too.” Rachel says, smiling dreamily up at him, and he beamed down at her.
“So…who are we locking up today?” I asked.
“We?” Rachel asked.
“I’ve become a freelance lawyer. Harvey’s hired me for my help with the cleaning up the city streets. I need something to occupy my time while I’m not in meetings at Wayne Enterprises.”
“I can see you being a positive influence on Bruce.” Rachel smiled at me.
“I try,” I smile back at her, grinning inwardly. If only she knew what I got up to at night, maybe she’d take her statement back. “So who is the criminal?”
“I gave you the briefs last night!” Harvey said, looking at me in exasperation.
“I had a spot of trouble Saturday night, and ended up in the emergency room.”
And then they seemed to notice the slightly bruising on my face, and the already healed cut on my lip.
“What happened?”
I hesitated for a moment, before answering honestly.
“I was attacked by some thugs wearing clown masks, cut my foot on some glass trying to run away, got it lodged in there, got slapped about a bit, and then punched a couple of times, but Batman saved me, and took me to Jim Gordon.”
“One of the reasons I’m thankful this city has Batman.” Harvey said, launching into a quiet story on how Batman is necessary in Gotham, but I was scrutinising Rachel’s face. Her face seemed purposefully impassive, like she was hiding something. I wonder what that would be. Maybe she didn’t agree with Harvey’s rant, maybe she thought Gotham would be better off without its Dark Knight. Yet I wasn’t sure that was the entire issue. Maybe Rachel had an idea as to who the Batman is, or maybe she just hated him for some reason.
“As much as I love to listen to you ranting about a guy in a costume, can you please tell me who we’re prosecuting?” I asked Harvey, cutting his newest point short.
“Salvatore Maroni. He’s the new head of Carmine Falcone’s crime family, as Falcone was taken down by the Batman. He’s taken the Falcone gang into a turf war with two rival gangs, and as a result was arrested for the murder of a gang member known as ‘Bookie’ Benson. Bookie was the GCPD’s informant. It’s set back their investigation.”
“Is there solid evidence connecting him to the murder?” I asked.
“We’ve got a witness that connects him.” Rachel answers.
I smile.
“Let’s go lock him up.”
……………………………….............................................................................................................................
I sat in between Harvey and Rachel as we waited for the judge to walk in, and for the trial to start. Salvatore Maroni looked confident, leaning back in his chair, with a smile on his face. I wished that we were out on the street, so I could smack that grin off his face.
As I scrutinised the defendant, Harvey and Rachel were discussing the briefs, and who should take the lead.
“I think I’ll observe. You two decide who you want to take lead. Flip a coin.” I joked, looking at Harvey, remembering all the times when he was tutoring me that he would flip this old trick coin to see who would take lead in a case, and he would always win, because it always landed on heads.
He grinned back at me, and pulled out that same coin, turning to Rachel.
“Heads I take it, tails he’s all yours.” Harvey said to her.
“You really want to flip a coin to see who leads?” Rachel asked, smiling at him in disbelief.
“It’s my father’s lucky coin. And as I recall, it got me my first date with you.”
I held back my snort. That’s how he got me to agree to our first date. Of course, Harvey’s dad’s lucky coin was his talisman, so he wouldn’t not use it to get women.
“I wouldn’t leave something like that up to chance.” She replied.
“I don’t. I make my own luck.” Harvey said, winking at me, as the coin landed on heads. Rachel shook her head, and I chuckled at him.
“All rise. The honourable Judge Freel presiding.” A courtroom official announced, over the sounds of scraping chairs and the light stomping of feet as everyone in the courtroom rose to their feet.
Salvatore Maroni turned to Harvey, and smiled.
“I thought the D.A just played golf with the Mayor, stuff like that.” He sneered at him.
“Tee off’s one thirty. More than enough time to put you away for life, Sally.”
Harvey’s words had me grinning.
And with that Harvey launched his attack on Salvatore Maroni. He read his opening statement, and then called our witness to the box.
“With Carmine Falcone in Arkham, someone had to step up to run the so-called family. Is that man in the courtroom today?” Harvey asked our witness, who started nodding his head. I looked over at Maroni who was smiling at him, nodding his head also. Something wasn’t right here. “Could you identify him for us please?”
Harvey stood in front of Maroni, smiling down at him smugly. I winced internally.
“You win, counsellor. It was me.” He said, and titters of quiet laughter filled the courtroom, and I stood up.
“Permission to approach the bench, your honour?” I requested, smoothing out my skirt, and picking up a sheet of paper.
“Granted.”
Harvey walked back and sat down, but not before giving me a smile, as he guessed what I was doing.
“I have a sworn statement from you, that this man, Salvatore Maroni is the new head of the Falcone crime family.” I said, placing the paper back down, and walking over to the witness, a sweet smile on my face.
“Maroni? Sweetheart, he’s a fall guy! I’m the brains of the organisation.” He said, playing to his audience, smiling smugly when he received the laughter he had wanted.
“Permission to treat the witness as hostile.” I asked, walking towards the judge.
“Granted-”
“Hostile, I’ll show you hostile.” The witness declared, pulling out a gun from his jacket, and pointing it at me, squeezing the trigger. No bullet came out, and I smiled at him, before punching him in the nose, yanking the gun out of his hand, disarming him, and then disassembling the gun as he was dragged out of the box by two guards.
I examined the gun, as I walked over to the defendant’s table.
“Carbon fibre, twenty eight calibre, made in China. If you want to kill a public servant, Mr Maroni, I suggest you buy American. That gun was obviously meant for Mr Dent, not me.” I said, placing the gun in front of him, and taking my seat, tapping Harvey back in.
He stood, and started to walk back up to the witness stand.
“Get him out of here.” The judge said to the guards, who were struggling to remove the hostile witness.
“But your Honour, I’m not done.” Harvey said, with a boyish grin, as the courtroom audience applauded his words.
Rachel smiled at me, and I chuckled at him, as we both shook our heads.
“He knows how to play the crowd. He’s always been able to charm an audience.” I say to her.
“He’s a very charming man.” She replied, smiling dreamily at him, though his back was turned.
“He’s a lucky man, Rachel, because he has you. Make sure he knows it. He’s always had the tendency to lose focus on the other things in life because of his career. Don’t let him lose focus on you, because he’s happier than I’ve ever seen him. And he deserves it.”
“You really care about him, don’t you?” She asked.
“He’s been a great friend to me these past six years. He probably knows the most about me, other than Jim Gordon and his wife,” I replied, standing as the court filed out, because the case had been closed. Maroni wasn’t charged, but we had a small victory. If Harvey was being targeted by mob members that means we were getting to them.
It was a great result, even better because being a freelancer meant I could leave straight away while Harvey and Rachel handled the paperwork..
So I almost skipped down the Courthouse steps, happy to have helped Harvey out, and to have given that little runt a broken nose. And then as, what is becoming, usual, Bruce Wayne appeared to annoy the life out of me. I froze where I was, and he made his way over to me, a scowl adorned on his face.
I take it he watched the live broadcast of Harvey’s case.
“Please tell me you’re here for a parking ticket.”
“Did you know that court case was live?” He asked me, clearly angry at me for no reason.
“Yeah, so…did you watch it?” I grinned.
“Yeah, the guy could have killed you, Suzanne. Why are you not taking that seriously?”
“Because I’m not dead, Bruce. The clip was empty. I wasn’t in any danger.”
“I might end up having to kidnap you just to make sure you’re safe.” He muttered, shaking his head at me.
“Like I’d let you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a meeting to go to-” I started, but Bruce, being the rude ass he is, cut me off.
“No, you’re not. I told Lucius you were sick. I’m taking you somewhere.” He said, taking my hand, and pulling me to his car quickly.
“Bruce, yanking my arm out of its socket will only momentarily distract me from the pain in my foot.” I said, as he continued to rush me, like there was some sniper over head, and I had a giant bulls-eye written all over me. He held the car door open for me, and let me slid in first. I murmured a brief hello to Alfred, who was behind the wheel of the car, and waited silently as Bruce climbed in next to me. Alfred set off, obviously not needing to be told where we were going.
“What did you do to your foot?” Bruce asked me, raising an eyebrow as if he was daring me to lie to him.
“I slipped over and sprained it. You know, silly high heels and all that.” I lied. Challenge completed, I added mentally.
Yes, sometimes I could be a little bit childish, but this man was reducing me to mental temper tantrums.
“Lieutenant Jim Gordon told me about it this morning. He wants the security at Wayne Enterprises stepped up, and has placed a couple of his own men around the building. He seems to care about you a lot. Any story behind that?” Bruce revealed, catching me in my own lies, but all I was thinking was how ridiculous both Jim and Bruce were behaving. I’m not a damsel in distress, I’m a twenty six year old woman, who is perfectly able to look out for herself. If I wasn’t, Tim Grant would kick my ass from here to next Tuesday for slacking on my training.
“He was the cop who carried me away from my mom’s body, and told me everything was going to be okay. After her death, I kind of went mute. I didn’t talk to anyone. I was in a constant state of paralysing fear. I wouldn’t let anybody touch me, or come near me, especially men…except Jim. He eventually got me talking to people again, got me back to normality. He’s always treated me like his daughter, and he practically raised me. That answer your question, nosy?” I teased him playfully, trying to steer clear of anymore emotional, deep conversations about my past.
It was emotional enough without rehashing it to Bruce Wayne. But yet this was the second time I’d opened up to him. I just felt…safe talking to him, I suppose.
“Yes. So why exactly were you walking downtown in the dark unprotected?” Bruce growled at me, making me jump. I’m starting to think he’s bi-polar. He’s all jokey and light and playful one second, but then he’s grouchy and mean and scary-like the next. It was like he was two different people.
“I was still pissed at you, I’d just gone to meet a friend to make some business arrangements, and felt like walking. And I’ve already explained myself three times, so please let it be. You’re acting like an overprotective boyfriend, when we both know I’m not the girl you want to be with.”
“Who’ve you explained yourself to?” He asked, ignoring my jibe, probably because Alfred was there.
“Jim, Harvey and the Batman. He got all pissed too. Seriously, if I find out who he is, I will kiss him then punch him. He was acting like you, and God knows I enjoy that. Two Bruce Wayne’s…I don’t think I could cope with that.” I joked.
“Batman is clearly an intelligent guy. He probably values your safety too, but I don’t know about the kissing part. I don’t think I like the idea of you kissing another man.”
Well then I won’t tell you that its already happened twice now, I thought to myself.
“You’re not my boyfriend, Bruce. And as far as I’m concerned, until you resolve your issues with Rachel, we won’t be a couple.”
“I have no issues with Rachel.” Bruce replied, diplomatically, not looking at me as he answered. I turned my own eyes towards the front of the car, and caught Alfred’s eyes.
“Bruce if you don’t have an issue with Rachel and Harvey dating, then my name isn’t Suzanne Jeanette Dawn.” I snapped, bitterly sarcastic, with just a hint of anger in my words.
“Jeanette?” Alfred questioned.
“My mother’s name, Alfred. Alfred, you’ve put up with this man for his whole life…is he not in love with Rachel?”
“Not my place to say, Miss Dawn.”
I snorted.
“And this is why I have not dated anyone for the past year. Men are so loyal towards each other. Bruce, you are in love with Rachel. And if you want to use me to make her jealous, fine! Just let me know the truth!” I looked at him, my eyes slightly widened, trying to persuade him to just tell me the truth.
“I’ve always been in love with Rachel.”
I sighed, and ignored the sinking feeling in my stomach. I don’t know why I suddenly felt slightly nauseous.
“Then why haven’t you done anything about it? The Bruce Wayne I’ve seen the past few days goes after what he wants until he has it-”
“That hasn’t worked with you, has it?” He said, cutting me off. I scowled at him.
“It probably would have eventually, if you weren’t already in love with someone.” I snapped, not really sure if I meant what I said, or whether it was more to pacify him. What was wrong with me? Why was I trying to make him feel better? Selina would have slapped me by now. I should probably slap myself.
“Rachel’s with Harvey, which means I’m single. And you’re single. And I really like you. I don’t see what the problem is.” Bruce said, finally looking at me directly.
I rolled my eyes at him.
“For such a smart man, you’re so dumb. The problem is if I let you in any more than I have…it’ll end badly. I told you at the start, I don’t like to mix business with pleasure. It rarely ends with a happily ever after.” I reply simply.
“You’re just afraid of getting your heart broken.” Bruce muttered.
“I’m not afraid of anything, Bruce. That’s why its so hard to be with me. I may have come from the same background as you, but I am…I’m not perfect, like the people you surround yourself with. I’m not Rachel Dawes. I’m severely flawed, and I’m not good enough for anyone.”
“You have the same problem as Master Wayne, Miss Dawn.” Alfred said.
I raised an eyebrow at Bruce, who shrugged at me.
“What would that be?”
“You both have nothing good to say about yourselves.”
………………………………............................................................................................................................
After the heavy car conversation, it finally ended. It was a long time before the car came to a halt, and one it had stopped Bruce hurried out the car, and around the back, to open my door for me, holding out his hand for me to take.
I rolled my eyes, but took it, gingerly stepping out of the car onto my bad foot.
“Where are we, Bruce?” I asked, feeling my heels sinking into grass.
“You’ll see. Do you need me to carry you? It’s a bit of a walk to where we’re going.” He replied, looking at me in concern.
I shook my head, as I scrutinised my surroundings. There were a lot of trees, so I figured we weren’t in the city of Gotham anymore, maybe the Palisades. Everything seemed so full of life here; so green, and bright compared to the city, where it was all grey and dull during the day.
Bruce kept a hold of my hand, and I noticed that Alfred didn’t follow us, but stayed in the car. Bruce tugged me forward, leading me to our destination, and as we travelled through a forest, I started to get an unsettling feeling. I was glad we followed a clear dirt path, otherwise I might have started to believe the paranoid part of my brain that told me he was leading me out here to kill me.
My mother’s death had really screwed me up. I usually get paranoid episodes when I’m in enclosed spaces on my own, or with strangers, and walking past alleyways. Funnily enough, the one night that I didn’t get that sense of panic whilst walking past an alleyway was the same night I got dragged into one.
Quite quickly the path we were walking along started to decline, making it more difficult for me to walk at the same speed as Bruce, but for some reason, he was more than patient. If you looked up patience in the dictionary, I’m pretty sure you would see a picture of Bruce Wayne next to the description.
“You know, Suzanne, we could go a lot faster if you’d let me carry you.” Bruce suggested for like the fourth time.
“Oh for the love of all that’s holy, fine-” I was cut off as he immediately bent down, and swept me off my feet and into his arms. I automatically wrapped my arms loosely around his neck as he cradled me into his chest, but that didn‘t stop a scowl forming on my face. “You could have given me some warning, you jack ass.”
“Sorry, but I thought I’d do it quickly before you changed your mind.” He said, as he started walking forward again. I actually quite liked being in his arms. It felt…nice.
“My high school boyfriend said that to me,” I replied. He actually had said that to me, when he got to second base with me. Apparently, I kept having mood swings back when I was sixteen. I wonder why that was. “Are we almost there?”
“Stop whining. At least you don’t have to walk anymore.”
“But now I’m bored, Bruce! And I’ve still not managed to convince myself that you’re not bringing me out here to kill me!” I groaned.
“Why would I kill you? It would be such a waste of a beautiful woman.”
“Flattery will get you no where, Wayne.” I smirked at him.
“Ouch, back to last name basis? And to think I thought I was getting somewhere.” He joked, then looked forward. “We’re here now.”
I followed his line of sight, and saw an open wooden shack, with rifles lined on the walls. I smiled. He’s brought me to a shooting range. Bruce let me down gently, but kept an arm wrapped around my waist, as he led me forward, taking two of the rifles off the wall, and a few rounds.
“Have you ever done this before?” Bruce asked, handing me the rifle I’d be using.
“Nope.” I said, popping the ‘p’, and smiling at him.
Bruce gave me a quick demonstration, aiming at the farthest silver can in a long line on a wall far away. Of course, he hit it, and with a loud ding, the can crumpled, and topped off the wall.
He then gestured me to try.
“Don’t be put off if you don’t hit one on the first try.” He said, smirking at me, as though he knew I would miss.
I rolled my arms, took my stance, aimed at a can right in the middle of the wall, slowly squeezed the trigger once I had it in my sights, and a couple of heartbeats later, a loud ding sounded. I turned to face Bruce, who looked quite surprised, which of course, made my smirk more pronounced.
“Have you done this before?” Bruce asked again, eyeing me with suspicion.
“Beginner’s luck, Bruce.” I said, lifting the gun up again, and taking another two cans down, one right after the other.
“I think you’re lying.” He commented, after I shot another one down.
I lowered my weapon, and smiled at him.
“We had similar childhoods, Bruce. I learnt to defend myself from the scum of this planet, just like I’m sure you did.” I replied, smiling at him. Unease spread across his face at my words, which I put down to the indirect mention of the loss of his parents and my mother, but something inside of me was telling me that wasn’t it.
I shrugged it off, and he was smiling at me again.
“I don’t think I’ve seen you genuinely smile at me before.” Bruce commented, a soft smile playing on his own lips. He looked carefree, and I finally took notice of what he actually looked like today. He was wearing a black t-shirt, with dark jeans and black boots. He looked like your average guy, but at the same time, didn’t. He looked younger today too. His suits almost age him a couple of years.
“Well I’m actually enjoying myself…which is weird, because I didn’t think after Saturday I’d ever like you again.” I grinned at him.
When he smiled back, a slow, breathtaking smile, my heart did a unexpected flip. And my brain started to fill with all these annoying, confusing thoughts that my body seemed to be agreeing with, and despite the fact I knew I’d hate myself for it later, I gently lowered my rifle to the floor, and then took his away from him too, doing the same as I did with mine.
He looked at me in confusion. You’d think he had never interacted with a woman before by the way he was acting.
I closed the gap between us, and placed my hands on his chest, before looking up into his eyes. As soon as I did look into those wonderful blue eyes, I melted and any doubts I had about doing what I wanted to do faded into nothing. As I stared into his eyes, and slid my hands up his chest and then locking my fingers together behind his neck, his lips parted involuntarily, and I saw desire in his eyes, which just strengthened my resolve.
“Kiss me.”
Bruce’s mouth instantly claimed mine, but unlike the kiss we shared on Saturday, he didn’t seem to want to go fast, because when my lips tried to move feverishly against his, Bruce’s lips moved slowly against mine, torturing me. I just wanted a kiss, but it was almost like Bruce wanted to evoke some sort of emotional link between us.
And the weird part is…I found myself giving into it. And even weirder…I liked it.
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So this is Chapter Four :) Not sure if I like it but whatever. Please comment and vote for me please!