Merry Christmas

[moonshadows]

The gas is red and it burns. I close my eyes, and when I open them, the room and everyone in it has been replaced by an enormous cage – but that doesn’t last. The bars shrink down, down, down, and I draw myself into a tight ball to evade them, but they keep shrinking until I can’t move. I don’t say anything. I don’t scream. Making any sound just brings-

“Who’s a good little pussy?”

The coarse laugh rolls over me, turning my guts to water and my bones to ice. He looms over me, one hand outstretched to pat or strike, and the fear spikes into rage. Snarling, I lash out and feel cloth tear and flesh give beneath my claws. He fades out, along with the bars of the cage, and again I am in the room and the Scarecrow is in front of me, bleeding hand clutched to his chest.

“Well, that was a miscalculation. Who would have suspected she’d react like that?”

I’m ready to launch myself at his throat – I may not be seeing the cage anymore, but I’m still mindless with fear so intense that it’s kicked me into animalistic fight or flight – when a sharp pain on the back of my neck distracts me. The world goes all wiggly and as I sink to the floor, I can see Batman’s fine legs as he stalks angrily towards my unfortunate kidnapper. There are goons, of course. There are always goons. While the goons entertain my not-boyfriend, Scarecrow makes the mistake of reaching for me again. The cat yowls, claws lashing out, and he staggers back with crimson spreading across his mask. It’s his turn to whimper in fear as I crouch low, ready to spring, but he crashes into some chemical tubes, shattering them. Whatever was inside makes him scream as it soaks his skin, and he thrashes about, yelling himself hoarse. Just as well; it must have been a sedative I got hit with. When a familiar pair of legs stop next to me, I purr loudly and rub against them. Then everything goes black.

 

************************

 

“…no charges. Effects….gas are well-documented………………self-defense. Got what was coming to him, I say.”

The world stops being a muddled mess and solidifies into a pristine hospital room. The speaker is a police officer standing by the door.

“Maybe this will teach the other freaks and loonies to not try to use her as a pawn?”

That voice…I know that voice.

“I wouldn’t lay any bets on it, Mr. Wayne, but things’re liable to be quiet for a while. Hey, looks like she’s coming around.”

The officer dips his head at me, then leaves the room. Bruce sits down in a chair conveniently located next to my bed.

“Selina, how do you feel?”

I don’t protest as he takes my hand in his. “Like something the cat dragged in.”

“You’re lucky Batman got you with that dart. Scarecrow’d been working a nerve toxin into his fear gas. The levels in your blood were three times higher than any previous victim. Court ruled you couldn’t be held liable for anything you did until they dropped back to half a normal dose. It took three days.”

“What about Scarecrow?”

He looks grim at that. “Stumbled into his own chemicals. They got directly into his bloodstream. Between the blood loss and the saturation….he overdosed. It must have been a horrible way to go. Police say it looks like he tried to claw his face off, and very nearly succeeded. Selina…” He hesitates, not wanting to ask but knowing that he needs to. “When they brought you in, you were…feral. They had to keep you sedated because restraints made you go wild. What happened?”

I turn my head, gazing out the window. “There was a man who thought he could control me. He was wrong.”

“No wonder you’re so emphatic about freedom.”

Whole volumes lie unsaid between us.

“The doctors said once you came around, you’d need about a week of bed rest, but that you wouldn’t need to stay here longer than a day for observation.”

I turn my head back. “What are you trying to say, Bruce?”

“It’s almost Christmas, Selina. Maeven’s visiting her family. The thought of you and Isis alone…” He shakes his head. “Please, let me offer you the hospitality of Wayne Manor. Christmas is a hard time of year for people as lonely as we are.”

I want to say no, but I’m just so tired. I’ve been strong for so long…surely it’s okay to let someone pamper the kitty, just this once? I’ve named Maeven the sole inheritor of my worldly goods, but if I die, my business and my cat will go to Bruce. If that hasn’t let the cat out of the bag, then one little visit should be okay, right?

“You’re not going to make me watch It’s A Wonderful Life, are you?”

Bruce laughs. “Good heavens, no. I can barely sit through it myself. So, you’ll come, then?”

Somehow, I find the strength to smile. “Merry Christmas, Bruce.”

 

************************

 Bruce drives up to the front door of Wayne Manor, and a distinguished gentleman opens my door. I offer him my hand and he takes it, helping me out of the car while Bruce retrieves my suitcase. Around my neck, Isis stirs at the cold wind but does not wake.

“Welcome to Wayne Manor, Ms. Kyle. I’m so glad you finally accepted one of Master Bruce’s invitations.”

I smile tiredly. “Thank you.”

“I do hope no emergencies interrupt things this year. It’s so inconvenient sometimes when Master Bruce is called away for-“

“Alfred,” Bruce interrupts in Batman’s voice. “She knows.”

The butler takes another, appraising look at me. “Oh. Very good, then. Let’s get you out of the wind, shall we?”

 

************************

 

“Master Dick has just returned for the holidays,” Alfred says as he and Bruce escort me to a cheery living room, fire blazing in the fireplace.

I sink into one of the comfortable leather chairs by the fireplace with a swallowed purr. Bruce takes the other one, my suitcase having been discreetly left by the door. Alfred makes noises about hot mulled cider and vanishes, and I close my eyes, letting the flickering heat wash over me.

“Bruce! You’re back!” The enthusiastic young male voice startles me out of my half-doze. Footsteps pound closer, then stop abruptly. “Oh.”

“Dick, Ms. Selina Kyle. Selina, Dick Grayson.” He doesn’t quite hide a grin as he makes the introductions.

“Charmed,” the younger man says uncertainly, throwing a worried glance at his mentor.

“Don’t worry,” I say reassuringly. “I’m on bed rest this week. If Batman and Robin need to fly, I’ll just take a catnap.”

Dick looks shocked. “You told her?”

“He didn’t need to; I figured it out on my own. I’m a smart kitty.”

Alfred appears at my side, and I wrap my hands gratefully around the mug of hot cider. Isis stirs again as the steam tickles her nose.

“How did you figure it out, anyway?” my host asks.

Isis yawns, stretches, and cautiously begins an exploration of the very comfortable chair before mewing imperiously. I pet her indulgently, and she settles back down, purring.

“Isis doesn’t like most people; she’s too aloof to purr for anyone but me. Not even Maeven, who she’s known for years. But after Batman nursed her back to health, she purred for Bruce Wayne.”

Bruce shakes his head ruefully. “It’s always the one thing you didn’t plan for.”

“Please forgive my impertinence, Ms. Kyle, but if you knew…why did you…?”

“She was protecting my secret,” Bruce answers for me, looking abashed.

“Making sure she didn’t give you away like Isis did. Smart.” Dick looks at me with respect. “Hey, bet you wish you hadn’t turned her in now, eh? You wouldn’t have to worry about someone figuring you out by watching her.”

“If he hadn’t, I wouldn’t have as much respect for him as I do.” I ignore the surprise on Bruce’s face. “He had every right to turn me in; he won. He did what he had to do and stayed true to himself. I wouldn’t trust a man who’d betray himself for my sake.”

“But you-“ Bruce cuts himself off.

“I am Catwoman. Not the cat burglar.”

He looks relieved, then concerned as I cover a yawn. “Selina, may I show you to your room? Dinner won’t be ready for a few hours; you’ll have plenty of time to settle in and freshen up.”

“Thank you, Bruce.” I accept his hand with a tired smile. “I’ll probably take a nap, though.”

“Scarecrow toxin,” he says to his protégé by way of explanation. “I’ll tell you all about it later.”

 

************************

 

The room is huge and opulent, with glorious windows that face the city.

“I know you don’t do the damsel-in-distress thing,” he says, “and I don’t blame you for that. I’m just glad you’re letting me do this much for you.”

“Every cat knows when it’s time to hole up somewhere safe and lick her wounds.” My head on his arm keeps that from being as cold as it sounds.

“Then I’m glad I can offer you somewhere safe to hole up.”

“Bruce…I want this to be more than just a week of convalescence between friends.” I straighten and face him, cupping his cheek with one hand. “But I won’t endanger your secret.”

He takes my hand and kisses the knuckles. “Maybe it can be. Selina Kyle warms up to Bruce Wayne during her recovery, and Catwoman cools towards Batman?”

“The first part, we can do. The second…”

Bruce nods grimly, equally unwilling to give up our stolen moments of predatory passion. “Still, I think we’ve established that Selina likes Bruce as a friend and a business partner. Given time, it wouldn’t be unusual or suspicious for that to become something more.”

“And given time and no sudden changes, it’s much less likely for anyone to think their budding relationship had anything to do with Batman and Catwoman.”

One eyebrow goes up. “Budding relationship?”

“You were going to contrive to kiss me publicly under the mistletoe, weren’t you?”

“I was,” Bruce admits easily, “but maybe we should practice the kiss first.”

I return his grin. “An excellent idea.”

 

************************
 

I don’t get it,” Dick says from the doorway.

“Hm?”

He comes over to the chair I’m curled up in, drags another one over, and sits backwards on it. “You know that Bruce has women throwing themselves at him all the time. Pretty ones, rich ones, smart ones, blondes, brunettes, redheads, Asians – you name it. He could have his pick at any time. But you’re not worried. You’re so not-worried that they may as well not even exist, much less be potential competition. You’re not the slightest bit jealous. I just don’t get it. I mean – you do love him, right?”

“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here.”

“Wow. No offense, but you’re one cool cucumber. You’re like Isis – the world may as well exist just to feed you and give you a place to sleep, and us lowly humans are just something to deal with in between.”

“Thank you,” I say with gentle amusement.

“So why aren’t you worried that one of them will catch Bruce’s eye?”

I smile mildly at him. “The world is divided into predators and prey. Bruce is a predator; the flock of hopeful Mrs. Waynes are all prey. None of them know what it’s like to have the night call to you, to become part of it and stretch your muscles and feel the herd shudder at the wolf lurking in the shadows. None of them would understand the feeling of putting a mask on when you take one off.”

Dick is silent for a minute.

“I guess you’re right. I’ve known Bruce for years, and I’ve seen him put on ‘Bruce Wayne, rich bachelor’ like some kind of invisible anti-Bat-suit. I guess there’s really no competition to even be worried about, is there?” He shakes his head. “No wonder he fell for you so fast. You know who you are, what you want, and how you’ll get it. You’re as self-assured-“

“-as a cat?”

“…yeah. And you only purr for him.” Dick laughs suddenly. “Just like a cat. You decided a while back that he was yours, and then waited for him to realize it.”

Now it’s my turn to laugh. “Not quite. He decided he wanted me the day we met – I’d tried to turn him down for the date I’d bought. It took a bit longer to get him to realize that we had to be discreet, and that I was turning down the public gestures, not him.”

“You know, I think you’ll be good for him. Make him live a little and remember that he’s a man and not just a man-shaped instrument of justice.” He rubs the back of his neck with one hand. “I’m not saying my childhood was all rainbows and sunshine or anything, but you two – there’s something dark in the two of you, like you went through Hell and came out the other side.”

Good pussy…

“I did.”