Murder at Wayne Manor

Chapter 10

Gotham; April 19th, 17:10 EST

I sweep into the conference room of Wayne Enterprises, adjusting my suit jacket as I quickly make my way to my chair at the head of the table. I allow myself a quick glance at Diana already seated at the other end of the table, chatting with Jason Trask who is sitting to her right. Leslie Thompkins, Mayor Hill, and Commissioner Gordon rounded out the other members of the committee that I created.

Memories of what had happened less than fifteen hours ago flash through my mind and cause an icy shiver to race up my spine. Once I had given her the antidote and gotten her back to the cave, Diana had thankfully started to come around, the color beginning to return to her face a couple of hours later.

She had scared the life out of me when she had been infected by Scarecrow's fear toxin. Her meta healing, along with the antidote I had given her, had helped her recover far more quickly than she normally would have. Despite telling myself that she'd be okay, it had still enervated me to say the least.

She had become very quiet after that, almost withdrawn once she fully realized what had happened to her. She had refused to even make eye contact with me. I had tried to talk to her, but she had told me she was tired, slipping off the medical bed with her head lowered before heading upstairs into the manor.

I hadn't had a chance to talk to her about what had happened since then. She had gone in early this morning to work on her presentation long before I had even woken up. It was probably for the best anyways. I was still struggling to come to terms with the intense feelings that had assaulted me last night as I had held her in my arms in the grass behind MacCaffrey Industries.

I needed time—time to think about everything, to figure out what I was going to do about these feelings that I was starting to have for her. Actually, I wasn't being completely truthful with myself. I wasn't just starting to have these feelings for her. They had been there building all along, but I hadn't realized it...or maybe I hadn't wanted to.

Diana looks up at me, finally noticing my presence in the room. She gives me a small smile but there's little warmth to it. There's sadness swimming in her blue eyes and it causes my heart to constrict with guilt. If I hadn't allowed her to come along with me last night to take down Scarecrow, she never would have been put in that position, wouldn't have been infected with his fear toxin.

It only serves to remind me why I can't get involved with her and yet I'm having a very difficult time ignoring the way she makes me feel. Now that I've realized that they're truly there, I find them growing stronger, thoughts of her invading my mind at any given moment.

"Now that Bruce is here, let's start the meeting," Jason Trask coolly announces, shooting me a look of annoyance.

There's something else there as well, simmering beneath the irritation, but I'm don't have time to dwell on it as Diana stands up, immediately commanding everyone's attention. "First of all, I want to thank each of you for your help and commitment to this campaign so far," she begins as she passes out a portfolio to each of us that she has put together. "I truly feel as though we can make a real difference in this problem that is plaguing Gotham."

Her fingers brush lightly against mine as she hands me my portfolio, electricity shooting up my arm. For a split second, I swear that she notices it too as she gazes into my eyes a moment longer than necessary and it suddenly feels as though all the air has just been sucked out of the room.

She breaks eye contact with me, much to my disappointment and confusion—confusion as to why her proximity and this connection with her would mean so much to me, would make me feel like this. The disappointment comes next because I wish I could be alone with her even for just a little while so I can reassure myself that she's really all right.